Business type · Travel and hospitality

Finance and software tools for travel and hospitality

Travel and hospitality businesses pay hotels, airlines and suppliers in advance, take deposits from guests, and hire seasonally. Currency and timing are the main finance problems.

See the tools Common questions
6 jobs coveredUpdated October 2026Independent editorial

Travel and hospitality businesses take deposits early, pay suppliers in advance and hire seasonally, so income and costs rarely line up. The right tools make that timing visible and manageable.

This guide covers six jobs, from supplier payments to liability cover, with tools to consider for each. A virtual card per booking or supplier, such as those on Wallester's free plan, limits your exposure if a booking changes.

How we chose the tools

  • Each tool is matched to one job this type of business has to do.
  • We favour tools that are available to small and growing businesses.
  • Where several tools fit, we say how they differ.
Travel and hospitality

What travel and hospitality need, and the tools that do it

This is general information, not financial or legal advice. Tools are listed by how well they fit the job, and some links may earn us a commission.

Paying hotels, airlines and suppliers

Suppliers are often paid in advance and abroad. A virtual card per booking or supplier limits exposure and makes reconciliation easy.

What to look for

  • Virtual cards per booking or supplier
  • Limits and expiry on each card
  • Fast reconciliation

Our picks

  • Wallester Business

    Free plan with 300 virtual cards, so a card can be created per booking or supplier.

  • Pleo

    Spend controls and receipt capture for teams in Europe.

  • Brex

    US corporate card platform with high limits.

See the full expense card ranking →

Taking payments and paying partners in several currencies

Guests and partners pay in many currencies. Converting each payment at a bank's rate reduces margin on every booking.

What to look for

  • Local account details in key currencies
  • Clear conversion pricing
  • Payouts to partners abroad

Our picks

See the full ranking: Multi-currency accounts →

Accounting for deposits and seasonality

Deposits taken now for stays or trips later complicate the books, and income is uneven across the year. Software that tracks receivables and forecasts helps.

What to look for

  • Handling of deposits and prepayments
  • Multi-currency support
  • Cash flow reports

Our picks

  • Xero

    Multi-currency and a large app marketplace.

  • QuickBooks

    Widely used by US accountants.

  • Zoho Books

    Accounting connected to the Zoho suite.

See the full ranking: Accounting software →

Seasonal staff and freelancers

Peak season means temporary hires, and guides, drivers and designers are often contractors. Payroll and contractor tools keep the paperwork under control.

What to look for

  • Payroll for part-time and seasonal staff
  • Contractor payments
  • Support for the countries you operate in

Our picks

  • Gusto

    US payroll and contractor payments.

  • Deel

    Contractors and employees in many countries.

  • Factorial

    HR and payroll for European small and mid-size firms.

See the full ranking: Payroll →

Managing guests, bookings and leads

Repeat guests and group enquiries drive revenue. A CRM keeps contacts, enquiries and follow-ups in one place.

What to look for

  • Contact and enquiry tracking
  • Email follow-ups
  • A free or low-cost tier to start

Our picks

  • HubSpot

    A free CRM tier with deal pipelines and email tools.

  • Pipedrive

    A visual sales pipeline for small teams.

  • monday.com

    Work management with a CRM product.

Cover for liability and claims

Guests and travellers can claim for injury or loss. Liability cover and, in some cases, specialist travel cover protect the business.

What to look for

  • Public and professional liability
  • Cover that matches your activities
  • Clear exclusions

Our picks

  • Hiscox

    Small-business liability cover in several markets.

  • Simply Business

    UK broker that compares several insurers.

  • Insureon

    US marketplace that compares carriers.

See the full ranking: Business insurance →
In depth

Managing deposits, suppliers and seasons in travel and hospitality

The finance problems of the sector

Travel and hospitality businesses take deposits long before a stay or trip, pay suppliers in advance, hire for the season and then lay off, and deal in many currencies. Income arrives unevenly, so the plan for the quiet months matters as much as the busy ones.

Deposits and prepayments

  • Record deposits as money owed to guests until the stay or trip happens.
  • State the cancellation and refund policy clearly before payment.
  • Know how your payment provider handles refunds and chargebacks.
  • Check how local tax rules treat money received in advance.

Paying suppliers

Hotels, airlines, transport and tour providers are often paid in advance and in other currencies. A virtual card per booking or supplier limits exposure if a supplier is compromised or a booking changes, and makes reconciliation quick.

Seasonal staff

Peak season brings temporary employees, and guides, drivers and photographers are often contractors. Use payroll that handles part-time and seasonal staff, and check classification rules where each person works.

Planning for seasons

Build a simple monthly cash forecast, set aside part of the peak season's income for the quiet months, and agree credit or flexible supplier terms before you need them.

Common mistakes

  • Spending deposits that still belong to guests.
  • Unclear cancellation terms that lead to disputes.
  • Paying every supplier from one card with no limits.
  • Converting foreign payments at a bank's margin on every booking.
  • Having no plan for the off-season.
FAQ

Common questions

Use a virtual card per booking or supplier with a limit and an expiry. If a supplier is compromised or a booking changes, you cancel one card instead of replacing your main card.

Use an account that gives you local details in the currencies you are paid in and converts at a transparent rate, instead of letting each payment convert at a bank's rate.

Record them as liabilities until the stay or trip happens, then recognise the income. Your accountant can advise on the rules for your country.

Only where local rules allow it. Classification depends on how the person works, not on what the contract says. Check the rules, or use a platform with compliance support.

Keep going

Related guides

Multi-currency accountsA multi-currency account lets you hold, receive and pay in several currencies without converting each time PayrollPayroll software calculates pay, withholds and files taxes, and pays your team on time Expense cardsCards for supplier payments

ExpenseBiz is an independent editorial publication. We may earn a commission if you sign up through some links on this page, at no extra cost to you. This page is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. See our methodology.

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