The verdict in three sentences
For a corporate travel agency in Dubai managing 250 corporate clients and 18,000 tickets a year, integrating online card payments through a local acquirer or gateway plus an invoice payment portal costs AED 15,000 to 30,000 and ships in 8 weeks. The main lever is automatic bank transfer matching, which ends blind chasing and brings payment terms from 55 down to 30 days. Card fees of 1.5 to 2.5% can be passed on as a service fee or reserved for small bookings.
Collecting fast without losing track of payments
In corporate travel, the agency often pays airlines upfront through BSP, then invoices the client company at 30, 45 or 60 days. Transfers arrive bundled, without clear invoice references, and accounting spends hours allocating them. A portal where each company views its invoices, pays by card or gets a unique transfer reference solves this.
| Collection method | 2026 cost (ballpark) | Time to funds | Recommended use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Card via local gateway | 1.5 to 2.5% per transaction | T+1 to T+3 | One-off tickets, SMEs, urgent trips |
| Email payment link | Same gateway fee | T+1 to T+3 | Single invoices, reminders |
| Standard bank transfer | AED 2 to 10 bank fees | T+0 to T+1 | Key accounts, monthly statements |
| Transfer with unique reference | Bank fees only | T+0 to T+1 | All corporate invoices |
| Cheque | Clearing fees, bounce risk | T+2 to T+5 | To phase out |
| Virtual corporate lodge card | 1 to 2% depending on agreement | Per issuer | Structured key accounts |
2026 integration budget
| Item | Range |
|---|---|
| Gateway integration (payment, 3D Secure, refunds) | AED 3,800 to 6,800 |
| Corporate portal (invoices, statements, payment) | AED 4,500 to 9,400 |
| Automatic transfer matching (bank statements) | AED 3,000 to 6,000 |
| Connection to agency back office and accounting | AED 2,200 to 4,800 |
| Automated reminders and receivables dashboard | AED 1,500 to 3,000 |
| Total | AED 15,000 to 30,000 |
Matching relies on daily imported bank statements and a unique reference per invoice. In practice, 85 to 95% of transfers are allocated without human intervention.
Mini case study
Layla, managing director of a corporate travel agency in Dubai, invoices AED 20,000,000 a year to 250 companies. With 55 days average payment time, receivables sit around AED 3,000,000. She invests AED 24,000 in the integration. At 30 days, receivables drop toward AED 1,640,000, freeing AED 1,360,000 of cash. At an overdraft cost of 7% per year, the saving reaches about AED 95,000 per year. Reconciliation time falls from 60 to 10 hours per month. The investment pays back in about 3 months.
FAQ
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
How much does payment integration cost for a travel agency in Dubai?
Gateway integration alone costs AED 3,800 to 6,800. With the corporate portal and transfer matching, the full project sits between AED 15,000 and 30,000.
What card fees should we expect?
As a 2026 ballpark, 1.5 to 2.5% depending on volume, card type and negotiation with the acquiring bank.
Should we pass card fees to the client?
Many agencies charge a fixed service fee of AED 20 to 60 per ticket paid by card. For key accounts, a transfer with a unique reference stays free.
How does automatic matching work?
Each invoice carries a unique reference the client includes in the transfer. The bank statement is imported daily and 85 to 95% of payments are matched automatically.
What is the timeline?
About 8 weeks, including 2 weeks of acceptance testing with the acquirer.
Let's scope your project. We scope card collection, the corporate portal and transfer matching, with an indicative budget of AED 15,000 to 30,000 and go-live in 8 weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
