AI Could Transform How Travel Agencies Pay Hotels Airlines and Global Suppliers

Written By: Pamela Das

Pamela Das

I'm Pamela Das, an SEO Content Writer at Travel and Tour World, a leading travel and tourism news portal based in Kolkata, where I work on crafting engaging, search-optimized editorial content for a global travel audience. Alongside my professional role, I'm pursuing an MA in Comparative Literature at Jadavpur University, expected in 2027, which reflects my deep and abiding interest in literature, language, and cross-cultural storytelling.

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September 12, 2026 03:54 GMT+5:30

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Artificial intelligence is moving into every industry, and travel is unlikely to stay behind. That is the view of Coco, General Manager of Global Institution at Sunrate, a Singapore-headquartered global B2B payment and treasury management platform. Coco believes AI could soon help travel agencies, tour operators and online travel agencies choose better ways to pay hotels, airlines and other suppliers.
The message is important for the travel industry. A holiday may look simple to a traveller. But behind every flight, hotel room and tour booking sits a complex payment chain. Travel companies need to collect money, pay suppliers, manage currencies and confirm services without delay. Any problem in this chain can affect a booking.
Coco said Sunrate offers a one-stop payment solution for travel businesses. Its services include B2B collection, global payout, commercial cards and acquiring services. Coco said the company helps agencies, tour operators and online travel agencies make real-time payments to suppliers, including hotels and airlines.

Travel payments sit behind every booking

A traveller may book a flight and hotel in only a few minutes. The travel company then needs to make sure suppliers receive payment correctly. This task can become harder when a business sells travel across many countries.
Hotels and airlines may use different currencies, payment systems and business rules. A travel agency must keep track of these details while working quickly. The agency also needs to make sure it has enough funds and that payment reaches the correct supplier.
Coco said Sunrate supports travel businesses with commercial cards that can make real-time payments in multiple currencies. According to Coco, this can help agencies and online travel agencies pay their suppliers as bookings are handled.
Fast payment matters in travel. A hotel room may be available at one moment and unavailable the next. An airline fare can also change quickly. When a company has to wait too long to complete a supplier payment, it may face operational pressure. This is why payment technology has become an important part of travel business planning.

Sunrate describes a one-stop payment approach

Sunrate describes itself as a global B2B payment and treasury management platform. Coco said its headquarters are in Singapore. The company’s travel offering brings together several payment services that businesses may need in their daily work.
B2B collection can help a business receive money from other businesses. Global payout services can support payments to suppliers in different markets. Commercial cards can be used to make business payments. Acquiring services support the process of accepting payments.
For travel agencies, tour operators and online travel agencies, these services can sit at the centre of a busy operation. They may deal with many suppliers at the same time. They may also serve travellers in more than one country.
Coco’s main point was clear. Travel businesses need payment tools that can work across borders and currencies. They also need systems that can support quick supplier payments.
Still, every travel business must judge a payment option on its own needs. Costs, supplier acceptance, currencies, security controls and local rules can all affect the final choice. A payment platform may offer useful tools, but companies still need strong internal checks.

AI could become the next major change

When asked about the technology trend that could disrupt B2B travel next, Coco pointed directly to artificial intelligence. Coco said AI is already disrupting industries today and that the travel industry will adopt it as well.
Coco expects travel agencies, tour operators and online travel agencies to use AI when choosing the best payment solution for supplier payments. This could involve comparing payment options before money is sent to a hotel, airline or other travel partner.
AI can study large sets of information quickly. In a payment setting, businesses may look at items such as the supplier’s location, the currency needed, available payment methods and the timing of the payment. Coco did not give details on a specific AI product or a launch date. The comments described the direction Sunrate believes the industry will take.
This distinction matters. AI is not a magic answer. It can support people as they make decisions, but travel companies still need human oversight. Staff must check payment terms, protect business data and make sure the payment goes to the right place.

The real goal is a smoother travel business

The travel industry is becoming more digital. Customers want quick booking confirmation. Suppliers want reliable payment. Travel companies want to manage their money with less delay and less complexity.
Coco’s comments show how payment technology is becoming part of this change. The focus is not only on how travellers search for trips. It is also on what happens in the background when a travel company pays a hotel or airline.
AI could play a role in this next phase by helping businesses compare payment choices. But the key test will remain simple. Does the system help a travel business pay the right supplier, in the right currency, at the right time?
For agencies, operators and online travel agencies, that answer could shape how they manage travel payments in the years ahead.