Agoda, Atome pioneer in SG, MY flexible payment option for travellers

Agoda in partnership with “buy now, pay later” platform Atome has launched flexible instalment payment options for accommodation bookings in Singapore and Malaysia, in preparation for a rollout in eight markets in Southeast Asia and Asia Pacific in 2021. 

Through this joint offering from the two partners which are both based in Singapore, customers may pay for their accommodation in three zero-interest payments with no additional charges or service fees by selecting Atome at checkout on the Agoda website or mobile app.

In Singapore and Malaysia, Agoda’s platform offers over 34,000 properties to suit all budgets and travel occasions. This new payment option for Agoda travellers will expand next year to include Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam as well as Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Darren Makarem, Agoda’s VP of commercial finance, said the instalment payment offering will enable Singaporean and Malaysian travellers who might have previously found it inconvenient to pay for their booking in one lump sum to spread the costs over multiple payments by choosing to pay with Atome, without incurring additional costs.

“We are always looking for innovative ways to help more people access travel, using tech to simplify the search, booking and payment processes,” said Makarem. 

Atome launched its service in December 2019 and now partners over 2,000 online and offline retailers including Sephora, Zara, Marks & Spencer, IUIGA and iStudio, across verticals such as fashion, beauty, lifestyle, homeware and travel.

David Chen, CEO of Atome, said that travel and tourism supports so many businesses, livelihoods and economies across Asia, and this is their contribution to helping to boost domestic tourism.

“As more borders in Asia re-open for travel in 2021, our regional partnership will allow even more Agoda travellers to enjoy this payment convenience and flexibility at checkout, improving the customer experience,” said Chen.