Produced by SkiftX in partnership with Stripe, this report draws on a survey of 368 hospitality, travel and leisure executives to examine how payment infrastructure is reshaping commercial performance in the sector. The central argument is that payment systems are no longer a back-office function but a direct driver of conversion, guest satisfaction, operational agility and long-term revenue growth.

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The headline findings are striking: 90% of respondents say payment infrastructure is important to their overall commercial growth strategy, and 86% say integrated financial infrastructure is important to future growth. Despite this stated priority, many organisations face significant constraints from legacy systems. The report identifies limited payment options as having the greatest negative impact on customer experience, cited by 37% of respondents.

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Looking ahead, 76% plan to deploy AI commerce initiatives in the next 12 months, reflecting growing interest in AI-powered personalisation, dynamic pricing and agentic commerce. Customer loyalty and retention ranked as the highest strategic priority for 2026 for 47% of respondents.

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For destination organisations and tourism businesses, the report highlights the strategic importance of payment infrastructure as a competitive differentiator rather than a commodity function, particularly as AI-driven booking experiences begin to shift where and how transactions originate.

• Executive summary and key findings
• The current state of payments in travel and hospitality
• Where payment systems constrain commercial performance
• The link between payment infrastructure and guest satisfaction
• AI commerce initiatives: adoption plans and expectations
• Strategic priorities for 2026: loyalty, conversion and agility
• Recommendations for travel and hospitality leaders