lord khram
Contributor
As a regular South Eastern Asia customer, I have to strongly disagree with you, Quero.
Most of the replies have been on the pro's perspective, I have to step in and give you a customer's point of view (who's also a tourism consultant btw...).
I have NEVER (I underline the word NEVER) been asked a wire transfer in my 6 or more Thailand inland/underwater trips. All my bills where paid on my credit card (including Steven's though he's not the only business I used, even in Phuket...).
Otherwise, I have only been asked once to pay a deposit for a dive center in Indonesia using wire transfer... and quite strangely I wouldn't recommend this operation, because of their poor customer management.
Tourism business managers have to understand that wire transfer is not that common in many parts of Europe and can cost a LOT compared to the price of the product that was purchased. This is not a good service that you are delivering to your customers but rather a service that benefits to yourselves, it doesn't provide any value to your guests, more than that : it may sometimes bother. I can tell you that transfering money from France is a pain in the neck : it takes me almost a half day with paperwork, faxing documents, going to the bank, etc. while it should take no more than 10 minutes with a credit card. The cerdit card fees is YOUR problem, as a customer I don't want to hear about them, adjust your price accordingly!
You also have to know that most of the high end credit cards includes a cancellation insurance for anything that has been paid for, asking to pay by wire transfer means your customer is not protected on that side. If I break my leg two days before going on holiday, my credit card company will refund my deposit whereas if I paid by wire transfer I am screwed : do you call that a customer service? ...
Personally, I absolutely do not feel that the asian dive centre I am contracting with is more honest when I am asked to pay a deposit on a british or german bank ... or even sometimes on a taxfree area bank like I was asked for that Indonesian dive center.
My recommendation upon that peculiar operation would be : Warning!!! They're here for your money first, your satisfaction comes only second.
I agree Luko, all too often customers opinions or requirements don't seem to be important any more