In efforts to embrace Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, Gozo, Malta-based travel agency Bitcoin Adventures has decided to offer its clients package holidays that are paid exclusively with Bitcoin.
The move has got its first two tourists as of early October, Lovin Malta reports.
In the agency’s promotional video, co-founder Leon Siegmund said that they intend to promote Bitcoin as a better form of payment.
“Bitcoin is better money because there is no central bank, no inflation, and no transaction fee involved, and sending money just involves two people and a smartphone. The problem is that nobody uses Bitcoin so nobody thinks it works, and because nobody thinks it works, nobody uses Bitcoin. We are trying to disrupt the status quo here. You can now book an amazing adventure holiday in Gozo and pay with Bitcoin, so the local merchants get more bookings and revenue, and start seeing Bitcoin as better and beautiful banking.”
Malta and Bitcoin
The agency has already signed up its first ever tourists under its promotion – Japanese citizen and infrastructural support engineer Mr. Koide and his wife. The Japanese traveler claimed that he wanted to visit Malta the moment he saw online photographs of the Blue Lagoon and street cars.
Rather than booking with a regular travel agency, however, he and his wife have chosen to take the kayaking trip and three-night stay in Gozo offered by Bitcoin Adventures.
According to Koide, the use of Bitcoin as payment is increasingly becoming popular in Japan, as a growing number of retail stores are already accepting Bitcoin as a form of payment.
“Bitcoin payment is becoming popular in Japan, because multiple retail outlets have started to accept Bitcoin payment. If this method is applicable for my future trips, I would like to make use of it as much as possible.”
Malta has always been supportive of cryptocurrencies, making it one of the few Bitcoin-friendly countries in Europe. Earlier this week, Malta piloted a Blockchain-based academic certificate recording system, and assembled its Blockchain advisory committee in early September.