USAID project for the development of sustainable tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Tourism) and Monri Payments, a regional leader in processing online card payments, signed the Joint Implementation Plan with the aim of facilitating and expanding access to online payment options in the tourism sector of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this way, the amount of tourist offers in Bosnia and Herzegovina that are available online will be significantly increased, and thus the online visibility and presence of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a tourist destination.
Damir Čaušević, General Manager of Monri Payments, said:
“As a fintech company, Monri is aware of how vital new technology and digitalization are across all industries, especially in one so open to global trends such as tourism. We are proud to have the chance to support USAID’s project with our online payment processing service because safe and fast online payments have become the standard that foreign and domestic tourists expect to have. If our efforts contribute at least a little to better positioning the BiH tourism offer, we will be more than happy.”
The tourism sector of Bosnia and Herzegovina faces major challenges related to the possibility of online sales, which enable safe and affordable instant reservations and confirmations integrated into websites and other sales channels. Most of the reservations, especially in micro and small businesses, are currently made through the contact form, and therefore it is not possible to make a complete reservation in one visit to the website, which is the service that today’s travelers expect.
As part of the Joint Implementation Plan, the partners undertook to invest efforts in raising awareness of the importance of instant reservations, confirmations and the possibility of payment in modern tourism; prepare special offers and discounts to encourage providers of tourist services to use online payment services and provide special offers from partner banks.
Among other things, the benefits of the offer for the tourism sector, in addition to lower costs, include making online payments through free additional services. Some of them are the Pay by link option that enables payment through a unique link, SecureVault, Promotions service and other functionalities.
Karl Wurster, Director of the USAID/BiH Office of Economic Development, said:
“USAID in Bosnia and Herzegovina seeks to create a dynamic, sustainable tourism economy led by the private sector. One of the key elements of the development of modern tourism is digitalization, including the significant expansion of offers available online. The possibility of online reservations and payments of tourist services is a basic service that is widely available almost all over the world, and therefore we are especially glad that the Monri company, in cooperation with USAID Developing Tourism in BiH project, will facilitate access to online payment options for the tourism industry of BiH. In this way, Bosnia and Herzegovina is taking another significant step in developing towards one of the leading international travel destinations.”
