Tourism & Hospitality | Wednesday 27 February, 2019 5:41 am |

Reinforcing its commitment to offering customers seamless travel booking experiences, Cleartrip, the leading mobile and online travel company in the Middle East, today announces the integration of Apple Pay into its mobile application in Saudi Arabia. As a true testimony to its success in pioneering new solutions, Cleartrip has become one of the first travel companies to enable the payment platform in the Kingdom.

With the integration of the digital wallet, Cleartrip’s customers in the country will benefit from simpler and faster checkout on the company’s mobile app while making payments for travel booking. Apple Pay is easy to set up and supports all devices running iOS 11 and works with iPhone SE, iPhone 6 and later, and Apple Watch.

Commenting on the new feature, Sameer Bagul, Executive Vice President & Managing Director, Cleartrip Middle East,said: “Thanks to its high rates of internet and smartphone penetration, Saudi Arabia has become one of the leading markets in the region for technology adoption. The integration of Apple Pay into Cleartrip’s iPhone app represents our commitment to pioneering innovative travel solutions to cater to the evolving needs of our tech-savvy customers in the Kingdom. We remain committed to seeking new ways to further enhance our offerings to make travel easier and effortless, thereby offering our travellers unforgettable experiences.”

Stuart Crighton, Founder and CEO, Cleartrip, said: “We are delighted to become one of the first travel companies in Saudi Arabia to enable Apple Pay for the Kingdom’s discerning travellers. This achievement not only represents another milestone in our journey,but also reflects our relenting commitment to accelerating the development of a robust digital infrastructure in the country to support its transformation, a key pillar to the Saudi Vision 2030. We are confident that the integration of the payment solution will catalysethe adoption of mobile booking and transactions, thereby driving growth in the country’s digital economy.”

With 88% of smartphone ownership and over 95% internet penetration, Saudi Arabia has seen a sharp increase in the uptake of travel booking on mobile devices. During the first half of 2018, the Kingdom witnessed a 218% growth in mobile reservations, which represents 29% of all bookings, according to the H1 & Summer 2018 Travel Insights Report by Cleartrip and Flyin. The country has also seen a massive 536% increase in debit card transactions during the same period.

Saudi Arabia is the second country in the region where Cleartrip has supported Apple’s payment platform. The company enabled Apple Pay for its mobile app users in the UAE in October 2017 when the iPhone maker rolled out the service in the country.