Roam is continually looking to enhance its offering to the travel consumer. A standout requirement has been expanded currency support for travellers outside Africa’s four major source markets: the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Europe.
Roam is pleased to announce that it now also supports consumers originating from Singapore (SGD), United Arab Emirates (AED) and Canada (CAD).
We sat down with Roam’s Co-Founder and CTO, Oliver Brain, to find out more.
1. What led Roam to introduce support for new currencies such as AED and Singapore dollars? We recently rolled out support for Canadian dollar (CAD), Emirati Dirham (AED), and Singapore dollar (SGD) after hearing consistent feedback from our clients who were selling into Canada, the UAE, and Singapore. Many travellers simply prefer paying in their home currency rather than converting from US dollars (USD), especially on high-value travel bookings, as it increases client payment ease and removes the client risk and cost to FX movements.
2. Why were these currencies a strategic addition for the business? These markets are growing quickly for African travel businesses. The operators growing fastest are often the ones looking beyond traditional source markets and tailoring their offering to international travellers more effectively. Supporting local client currencies is part of that and it sets Roam apart from other more traditional solutions, and allows our travel partners to be competitive in these rapidly expanding markets.
3. How does this expansion improve the payment experience for Roam clients and their travellers? It makes the payment process feel far more natural for travellers. If a traveller from Dubai receives a payment request in AED, or a Canadian traveller sees pricing in their home currency, there’s immediately more clarity and confidence around the transaction. It’s this comfort and convenience that leads to a better experience.
4. What kinds of opportunities does broader currency support unlock for African travel businesses selling globally? It helps African travel businesses compete more globally. Being able to quote and collect payment with Roam in 7 major currencies allows businesses to market themselves more effectively to international travellers without adding extra operational work internally.
5. What does adding a new currency involve behind the scenes from a product and operations perspective? There’s a huge amount happening behind the scenes. Bank accounts, card processing, FX handling, settlement, reconciliation, reporting and ensuring the traveller experience remains smooth throughout.
6. How does this update reflect the evolving needs of the travel market Roam serves? African travel businesses are selling into a wider range of regions than before, and travellers increasingly expect pricing and payment experiences that feel local to them. This aligns with Roam’s mission of redefining the way African travel transacts.
7. What role will expanded currency support play in Roam’s growth going forward? Along with growing the list of currencies we take payment in, we are also adding to the list of currencies we can settle our clients in. This means we can serve clients in regions that have been historically overlooked by traditional payment processors. The easier we make it for African travel businesses to sell globally and accept payments in relevant currencies, the easier it becomes for them to reach new markets with confidence.
