Cryptocurrencies bring so many investment opportunities to the table, but it’s the “Medium of Exchange” feature that best aligns with Satoshi’s dream for bitcoin: empowering the unbanked.
Years after Bitcoin’s creation, you don’t have to only rely on your bank to pay for goods and services anymore. With the help of cryptocurrencies, you can instantly pay for what you need. This can be quite useful, especially while traveling, and Travala (AVA) makes that possible for you.
Crypto Payments: a Great Alternative For Credit Cards
According to McKinsey & Company, “2.5 billion of the world’s adults don’t use banks or microfinance institutions.” Interestingly, some of these people have access to banking services but choose not to use them. Whether it’s a personal choice or a matter of banking situation, we all deserve to have different payment options.
Bitcoin was created with unbanked people in mind. Its goal was to offer a better alternative to the traditional financial system. Even though this goal is still debatable and may never happen, Bitcoin was able to improve the current system in many ways.
Years after Bitcoin’s creation, we’re now able to use crypto payments for many things. From Tesla to Coca-Cola, Microsoft, and Starbux, you can pay with your cryptocurrencies.
But what about vacation? Now it’s time to talk about Travala!
Travala (AVA): Use Your Crypto and See the World!
Travala is a blockchain-based booking platform that offers a wide variety of payment options. You can pay for tickets, accommodations, and tours using main cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ether, Tether, or BAT, or less technical coins like DogeCoin and Shiba.
Travala offers accommodation options for 90,124 destinations in 230 countries and territories and it claims that its prices are up to 40% cheaper than mainstream online booking platforms.
By removing intermediaries and hidden costs, Travala wants to bring transparent pricing to the travel industry.
Travala even offers a decentralized booking model to increase transparency and lower fees. Instead of booking through intermediaries such as Booking.com or Expedia, you can directly contact the property owner or your hotel of choice.
In this way, you can save on costs and fees that otherwise are paid to the intermediaries. Travala still charges a small fee but it’s lower than the regular options that it offers through mainstream travel suppliers.
What is AVA cryptocurrency
AVA is the native currency of Travala and serves multiple goals:
Payments
You can pay for your service using AVA tokens. This has a few benefits over other payment options like special discounts and lower transaction fees.
Givebacks
You’ll receive 2% of your total paid price once your booking has been completed on Travala.
Smart Program
By joining the Smart program, you’ll be able to receive up to 5% loyalty rewards and discounts. In addition, you can receive an additional 3% discount if you choose to pay with AVA cryptocurrency.
To become a Smart member, you have to lock (stake) a specific amount of AVA tokens. Smart membership has different tiers which give you various features based on the amount of AVA you’re willing to stake.
Being a smart member also allows you to vote in different Travala proposals and shape the platform’s direction. Your vote has a specific weight based on your membership tier. Look at the “Travala.com Token Battle: FLOKI vs SHIB” proposal to get an idea of how Travala’s decentralized governance work.
You can see different Smart program tiers in the table below:
Invite Program
By referring Travala to your friends and family members, you both receive a $25 reward in AVA after your invited friend makes a booking.
Travala NFT: Become a Smart Diamond Member
The Travel Tigers is Travala’s exclusive NFT collection that comes with its own benefits. By holding a Travel Tiger NFT and staking 2,500 AVA, you’ll become a Smart Diamond member which has the following benefits:
- Ambassador Bonus: promote Travala and earn up to 10% commission
- Loyalty Rewards: up to 10% Loyalty rewards after completing your trip
- AVA Payment: 3% discount on AVA payments
- Travel Drops: get a chance to win once-in-a-lifetime travels
- TRVL Airdrops: 10,000,000 TRVL tokens will be distributed among Smart members. Dtravel (TRVL) is a decentralized home-sharing network that helps you find short- and long-term stay accommodations.
- Concierge Access: use Concierge.io services for bookings over $20k
- Metaverse: you can attend events both in the real and digital world
- Proof of Travel: claim stamps and badges
In addition, Travel Tiger holders have the opportunity to win the luxury Maldives package for up to 4 adults. Learn more about it here.
Where to Buy AVA Tokens and Travel Tiger NFTs
You can buy AVA from various crypto exchanges such as Binance, Coinbase, and KuCoin.
Travel Tigers is an NFT collection on the OpenSea NFT marketplace that consists of 1000 unique pieces with a minimum price (floor price) of 3.15 ETH.
If you want to learn more about NFTs and how can you make one, read our article about OpenSea, the first and largest NFT marketplace.
Endnote
Cryptocurrencies are one of the best payment options particularly when it comes to instant, low-fee transactions. You probably need this kind of transaction while traveling and Travala is there to serve you.
Travala covers more than 90,000 destinations globally and offers more than 50 payment options. AVA is the platform’s native cryptocurrency which allows you to earn discounts, rewards, and even participate in Travala’s governance by voting in favor or against its proposals.