Primer, the unified infrastructure for global payments, and Pelago, the travel experiences arm of Singapore Airlines Group, have inked a partnership that will allow Pelago to elevate its payments strategy and meet the payment preferences of travellers worldwide.
Projections indicate that revenue from travel and tourism in Asia will soar to US$326 billion by 2024, with an annual growth rate of 5.36% expected between 2024 and 2028. But to capitalise on this growing opportunity, travel providers must address Asia’s diverse and fragmented payments landscape – a task which is not possible using a single processor.
Pelago is a travel experiences platform by Singapore Airlines that helps you discover and book 200k+ activities across 150+ countries — from attractions and tours to offbeat adventures.
With Pelago, travelers can access a wide range of activities tailored to their interests, backed by Singapore Airlines, with KrisFlyer members can earn miles with every booking.
Meanwhile, with employees in over 35 countries, Primer serves retail and ecommerce, travel and experience, fintech, and gaming markets. It has raised over US$94M, backed by the likes of Tencent, Iconiq, Accel, Balderton, and RTP Global.
By partnering with Primer, Pelago is reconfiguring its payment stack and focusing on customer experience with local payment methods, by reducing processing costs through multiple processors, and improving operational efficiency and fraud prevention with third-party integrations.
The partnership will allow Pelago to tap into growth opportunities by scaling to new markets faster and providing access to experiences that connect travelers to both global and local cultures, particularly in Singapore and destinations served by Singapore Airlines.
Using Primer’s unified infrastructure, Pelago will be able to integrate multiple processors to ensure resilience, reduce cost and improve payment performance, all while offering more payment methods to global travellers.
Commenting on the partnership, Kailash Madan, Head of Global Sales at Primer, said: “By partnering with Primer, [Pelago] now have a robust platform that will enable them to seamlessly scale their payment processes, adapt to evolving business needs, and unlock their full potential.”
Altaf Dhamani, Chief Product Officer at Pelago added: “It’s not possible to operate a global business using a single processor. With Primer we can harness the power of multiple processors, allowing us to develop a cutting-edge payment strategy without depleting resources from our core business.”
