Payments technology company Juspay is expanding its partnership with Wego, a travel marketplace focused on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), as the travel platform continues to expand across the region.
The partnership is focused on travel payments, particularly the integration of local payment service providers (PSPs), acquirers, banks and local payment methods. The aim is to allow Wego to offer travellers payment options that are familiar in their respective markets while simplifying the process of adding new payment partners.
A travel marketplace is an online platform that brings together travel products from multiple providers. Instead of booking directly with an individual airline or hotel, users can use a marketplace to search and compare flights, hotels and other travel options from different companies in one place. Wego operates this type of marketplace, allowing travellers to compare options from airlines, hotels and online travel agencies and, in some cases, complete their bookings through the platform.
The size of the regional travel industry makes payment infrastructure increasingly important. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), Travel & Tourism contributed $385.8 billion to the Middle East’s economy in 2025 and supported 7.1 million jobs. The sector grew 5.3% during the year, much faster than the global Travel & Tourism growth rate of 4.1%.
WTTC’s latest 2026 outlook, however, forecasts a temporary decline in the region’s Travel & Tourism contribution because of current geopolitical disruption, from $386 billion in 2025 to around $330 billion in 2026. Nevertheless, it expects the Middle East to become the world’s fastest-growing Travel & Tourism region between 2026 and 2036, with annual growth of 6.3% and the sector reaching approximately $605 billion by 2036.
For travel platforms operating across several markets, payment preferences can differ significantly. Travellers may use credit and debit cards, digital wallets, bank-based payment methods and other locally preferred options. This means that supporting local payment methods can be an important part of the booking experience, alongside factors such as price, availability and ease of checkout.
Through its partnership with payment orchestration provider Juspay, that connects with more than 300 PSPs and acquirers globally, Wego can enhance the platform with new payment partners and payment methods without having to build separate integrations for each provider. The companies said this gives Wego greater flexibility as it enters and expands in different markets.
The partnership also includes payment optimisation features. According to the companies, Wego has improved payment performance through intelligent transaction routing, 3D Secure optimisation and automated retries. A unified approach to payment errors also gives Wego greater visibility into failed transactions and can help teams identify and resolve payment issues more quickly.
Alexandre Morin, Director Payments, Risk & Fintech at Wego, said: “Wego has built its leadership in MENA by understanding how travellers across the region search, compare, and book travel, and by continuously adapting our platform to their evolving needs. Payments are an important part of that experience. As we scale across markets with different payment behaviours, our partnership with Juspay gives us the flexibility to offer more locally relevant ways to pay while maintaining a simple and reliable booking journey. This is part of our broader commitment to using technology and local market insight to make travel easier and more accessible for our users.”
As Wego continues to expand its services, the company plans to explore additional payment solutions that can support the platform’s business and customer requirements in different markets.
For travellers, the wider availability of local payment methods can make the booking process easier, particularly when travelling across countries with different payment systems. This is also relevant for consumers looking for the best budget travel destinations, as the final cost of a trip can depend not only on ticket or hotel prices but also on payment options, foreign exchange costs and other transaction-related charges. Practical budget travel tips increasingly include checking the total cost of a booking and understanding which payment method offers the best value when travelling internationally.
Nakul Kothari, Head of APAC & Middle East at Juspay, said: “Travel payments need to work reliably across markets where customer preferences and payment infrastructure can vary significantly. Wego’s scale and deep understanding of travellers across the Middle East make this an important partnership for us. By combining that regional expertise with our payment orchestration technology, we can help Wego adapt to local payment ecosystems while supporting a consistent experience as the business continues to grow.”
