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Bank Of Cyprus Empowers Hotel Sector With Strategic Rewards Initiative

Bank of Cyprus launched a rewards program offering five times points on hotel stays paid directly with its cards between April 6 and June 30, 2026. The initiative targets domestic tourism and supports the hospitality sector during a period of weaker regional demand.

Strategic Response To Regional Uncertainties

The program was introduced as tourism flows are affected by regional tensions in the Middle East. Bank of Cyprus is positioning the offer to support local hotels and maintain activity in the sector. Tourism remains a key contributor to Cyprus’ economy, making demand support measures relevant for short-term stability.

Enhanced Rewards For Loyal Customers

Under the new program, BoC cardholders are invited to earn five times the reward points on all qualifying hotel stays. The promotion is valid for all accommodation payments made directly at the hotel using a Bank of Cyprus card between April 6, 2026 and June 30, 2026. To be eligible, payments must be made directly during check-in or check-out, bypassing third-party platforms.

Boosting Domestic Tourism And Economic Resilience

Irene Gregoriou, Chief of Consumer Banking at Bank of Cyprus, said the initiative aims to support both customers and the hospitality industry. The program links consumer incentives with increased activity in local businesses. Domestic tourism is expected to play a larger role as international demand fluctuates. Targeted promotions may help offset part of the decline in external arrivals.

Further Information And Participating Hotels

A list of participating hotels is available through the bank’s official channels. Customers can review eligible properties and program details online. Participation conditions and reward structures are defined within the promotion terms.

payabl. Launches Click To Pay With Visa To Help Merchants Improve Checkout Conversion And Reduce Fraud

payabl. has launched Click to Pay with Visa, a new card payment experience designed to help merchants reduce checkout friction, improve authorisation rates, and deliver a faster, more secure online payment journey.

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Click to Pay replaces manual card number entry with a token-based checkout experience. Once a customer’s card is enrolled, they can complete purchases in just a few clicks, without re-entering card details. The result is a faster checkout that mirrors the ease of contactless payments in-store, while maintaining strong security standards.

For merchants, the impact is measurable. According to Visa, Click to Pay can deliver up to a 11% uplift in authorisation rates compared to manual card entry, alongside significant fraud reduction through network tokenisation. Faster checkout also helps reduce cart abandonment, particularly on mobile, where typing card details remains a major source of friction.

“With online checkout, every extra step costs conversion,” said Breno Oliveira, Chief Product Officer at payabl. “Visa Click to Pay removes one of the biggest points of friction at the moment of purchase. It helps merchants approve more legitimate transactions, reduce fraud exposure, and give customers the experience they already expect.” 

Visa Click to Pay is available through payabl. checkout, enabling merchants to activate the service without additional integration complexity. The solution works across devices and supports existing security flows, including 3D Secure where required.

“Consumers have come to expect a highly personalised, intuitive, and seamless payment experience, whether they’re buying a coffee, shopping online, or applying for a loan. Visa Click to Pay aims to meet these expectations by removing the need to manually enter card details, thus enhancing both security and the consumer experience in online card payments. With the support of network tokens, Visa Click to Pay enabled a more secure and smoother transaction process, available in many countries around the world. According to European VisaNet data, Visa Click to Pay may allow a 4.5% uplift in merchant sales, meaning a possible annual increase of €51 bn in SMB eCommerce sales in the UK and EU,” said Michael Ioannides, Country Manager, Visa Cyprus.

The launch forms part of payabl.’s broader focus on checkout optimisation, helping merchants improve conversion, approvals, and payment reliability at scale. Click to Pay with Visa is now live for eligible merchants across Europe. 

Checkout expectations are rising across Europe 

Insights from payabl.’s State of European Checkouts report underline why frictionless checkout experiences are becoming a commercial priority. The research found that consumers cite speed (46%), convenience (44%), and security (41%) as the top reasons for choosing a payment method. More than half of consumers (53%) are open to switching to newer payment methods and nearly half (48%) are open to one-click checkouts, provided the solution is backed by a trusted brand such as Visa.

“Checkout is no longer just the final step of a transaction,” said Oliveira. “It is a critical part of the overall customer experience. Our research shows that 43% of European consumers will not return to a site after a poor checkout experience. For merchants across the UK and Europe, that translates directly into lost customers and lost revenue.”

The launch forms part of payabl.’s broader focus on checkout optimisation, helping merchants improve conversion, approvals, and payment reliability at scale. Click to Pay with Visa is now live for eligible merchants across Europe.

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