Singapore-based crypto travel platform Travala has launched a protocol enabling AI agents to book and pay for hotels using USDC on the Base blockchain. The system, integrated via the Model Context Protocol, requires final human approval for payments and connects to over 2.2 million hotels. Travala’s CEO called it a step toward an “autonomous travel economy,” with transaction costs around $0.01 per booking.
Travala has launched a protocol allowing artificial intelligence agents to search, reserve, and pay for hotels with USDC on layer-2 blockchain Base. The Travala Travel MCP is live through Claude Desktop, with outside developers able to integrate it into their own travel agents.
The system connects to hotel inventory through the Model Context Protocol, an open standard for linking AI apps to external tools. Payments use Coinbase’s x402 protocol on Base, enabling gasless USDC transactions and near-instant settlement.
However, final payment authorization still requires manual approval from the traveler. This means the system is not fully autonomous but is more advanced than a simple recommendation chatbot.
The launch extends a wave of crypto payment infrastructure aimed at AI agents. Other companies like Fireblocks, MoonPay, Exodus, and Oobit have also launched products for AI-driven stablecoin payments.
“The launch of the world’s first agentic AI travel protocol marks the death of the checkout button,” said Travala CEO Juan Otero. He called it the start of “a truly autonomous travel economy.”
The protocol uses ERC-7715 session keys, allowing the AI agent to request a payment while the traveler retains final signing authority. It can maintain context across searches, bookings, and cancellations within a single chat thread.
Travala said the protocol currently covers more than 2.2 million hotels, including listings from Marriott, Hilton, and IHG. The company plans to expand beyond hotels to other travel products like flights.
Founded in 2017, Travala accepts over 100 cryptocurrencies alongside fiat currencies. The company expects its Travala (AVA) loyalty token to support future Travel MCP use cases.
