Industry · inbound travel
Paid from abroad, months before anyone lands
Selling India to international travellers means taking payments across borders, in other currencies, long before the trip, and sometimes refunding them after it. Each payment is small compared with the trust it represents.
- 12 weeks beforeDeposit for a 10-day Rajasthan tourCard payment from Germany€600
- 4 weeks beforeBalance of the packageBank transfer from abroad€1,400
- Day 3Optional desert excursion addedPayment link sent on the trip€120
- Day 6Excursion cancelled for weatherRefunded to the same card−€120
Net paid €2,000. Each payment was settled to the operator in rupees at the rate applied that day, so the rupee total depends on four different rates.
How travellers abroad pay
| Route | Suits | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| International card online | Individual travellers, deposits and balances | Card authentication abroad; disputes under foreign card rules |
| Bank transfer from abroad | Groups and larger bookings | Charges deducted on the way; matching the payer to the booking |
| Through an overseas agent | Travellers who book locally | Agent's payment terms and commission |
| Payment link during the trip | Extras and add-ons | Clear pricing in the traveller's currency |
Payments through a cross-border payment aggregator are capped at ₹25 lakh per transaction under RBI's September 2025 Master Direction; see the international payments handbook.
Deposits months ahead, balances before arrival
International travellers book early, so deposits arrive long before the trip. The balance is usually due a few weeks before arrival, and chasing it across time zones is where bookings slip. A reminder with a payment link, timed for the traveller's working day, works better than an invoice attached to an email.
Deposits are the traveller's money until the trip happens. Plan cash flow on trips delivered, and keep enough available to refund if a season is disrupted.
- 1Deposit at bookingA clear share, with the balance date stated.
- 2Reminders in their time zoneTwo weeks and one week before the balance date.
- 3A link, not just bank detailsCard payment is easier for most travellers than an international transfer.
- 4Receipts in their currencyWhat they paid, in the currency they paid in.
Currency, refunds and disputes across borders
A booking paid in euros and refunded weeks later rarely comes back to exactly the same amount, because the rate has moved. Travellers accept that when they were told in advance; they dispute it when they weren't.
Card disputes from abroad follow the card network's rules and the traveller's bank's process. Your defence is the evidence: the booking terms they accepted, confirmations, and proof that services were delivered or cancelled under the policy.
Refund currency stated
In the terms, before payment.
Cancellation policy at checkout
Not only in a PDF.
Evidence kept
Acceptance, confirmations, vouchers used.
Refund promptly
To the original card, with a reference.
Paying locally while in India
Once travellers arrive, the question changes: how do they pay a street vendor, a taxi or a small restaurant, where UPI is everywhere and cards often aren't? International cards cover some of it. RBI's PPI directions also allow banks and authorised non-banks to issue rupee-denominated, full-KYC prepaid wallets linked to UPI to foreign nationals and NRIs visiting India.
Those wallets can be used for merchant payments only, are issued after physical verification of passport and visa, and are loaded against foreign exchange. The directions started the facility with travellers from G-20 countries arriving at select international airports; check current availability before advising your guests.
Help guests before they land
- Tell them which of your services they can pay by card
- Explain that many small merchants take UPI only
- Point them to the options available on arrival
- Carry some cash for places that take neither
Working with agents abroad
Many inbound bookings come through travel agents in the travellers' own countries, who collect from their customers and pay you. That moves the card and currency work to the agent, but adds credit risk: you're delivering trips on the agent's promise to pay.
Terms per agent
Deposit and payment dates agreed in writing, before trips are confirmed.
Balances like any customer
Each agent's account tracked, with overdue amounts chased.
Transfers matched to bookings
Every payment from an agent tied to the bookings it covers.
Where Peneu fits
This page doesn't name any tour operator using Peneu, or say Peneu is authorised for cross-border payments or issues prepaid instruments. Whether Peneu can help you accept payments from travellers abroad, and through which partners, is confirmed during onboarding.
Inbound travel payment questions
How do travellers abroad usually pay an Indian tour operator?
By international card through a provider that accepts payments from abroad, or by bank transfer for larger and group bookings. Some book through agents in their own country, who then pay the operator.
What currency should we quote in?
Travellers prefer their own currency; you're usually settled in rupees. Quoting in their currency moves the exchange risk to you; quoting in rupees moves it to them. Many operators quote in the traveller's currency and price in a margin for rate movements.
How do refunds work when the rate has changed?
A card refund goes back to the original card, and the amount the traveller sees in their currency can differ from what they paid because the rate has moved. State in your terms which currency refunds are calculated in.
How can foreign visitors pay small amounts while in India?
Most use international cards where accepted. RBI's PPI directions also allow banks and authorised non-banks to issue rupee prepaid wallets linked to UPI to foreign nationals and NRIs visiting India, for merchant payments, after passport and visa checks; the facility began with travellers from G-20 countries at select international airports. Availability varies, so check before advising travellers.
Is there a limit on online payments from abroad?
For payments through a cross-border payment aggregator, RBI's 2025 Master Direction sets a maximum of ₹25 lakh per transaction. Large group bookings may be better paid by bank transfer.
Does Peneu work with inbound tour operators?
This page doesn't name any operator using Peneu, or say Peneu is authorised for cross-border payments. Whether Peneu can help, and through which partners, is confirmed during onboarding.
Official sources
- RBI — Master Directions on Prepaid Payment Instruments (updated 27 Dec 2024)Para 10.3: INR full-KYC PPIs (UPI-linked wallets, merchant payments only) for foreign nationals and NRIs visiting India.
- RBI — Master Direction on Regulation of Payment Aggregator (PA) (15 Sep 2025)PA-CB ₹25 lakh maximum per transaction.
Last reviewed . Examples, amounts and screens marked illustrative are not Peneu figures.