Partial Payment

The Partial Payment add-on allows travelers to book trips by paying a portion of the total cost upfront.

This feature is ideal for tour operators who want to offer flexible payment options, making it easier for customers to commit to bookings without paying the full amount immediately.

Key Features #

• Enable customers to pay a fixed amount or percentage upfront
• Set global or trip-specific partial payment amounts
• Customize payment labels displayed to users
• Send automated email reminders for remaining payments
• Integrate with various payment gateways supported by WP Travel Engine
• Disable partial payment for a specific trip

Prerequisites #

• WordPress version 6.0 or higher
• WP Travel Engine plugin installed and activated
• WP Travel Engine Pro plugin installed and activated
• Partial Payment addon installed and activated

You can follow the video or the steps below to configure the Partial Payment add-on.

How to Install the Partial Payment Add-on #

You can check this instruction to install and activate the plugin and activate the license key here.

Feature Configuration #

1. Enable Partial Payment Module #

To configure the global settings for Partial Payment, go to WP Travel Engine > Settings > Extensions > Partial Payment.

• Next, choose whether to accept partial payments as a percentage or a fixed amount.
  • Percentage: Enter the desired percentage of the trip price to be paid as a partial payment.
  • Fixed Amount per Traveler:  Enter the desired fixed amount to be paid per traveler in a booking as a partial payment.
  • Fixed Amount per Booking: Enter the desired fixed amount to be paid per booking as a partial payment.
• Enable the Full Payment option if you want to offer your customers immediate full payments along with partial payment plan.
• Click Save and Continue. 

2. Add Cut-off days: #

Cut-off days let you define a period before the trip start date, after which travelers must pay the full amount instead of a partial payment. This ensures you receive the full payment for last-minute bookings.
Example 1:

• You set cut-off days = 5.
• Trip starts on March 30.
• Travelers booking on or after March 25 must pay 100% of the trip cost, instead of the partial payment.
• Travelers booking before March 25 can still pay the partial amount.

Example 2:

• You set cut-off days = 0.
• All travelers, regardless of booking date, can pay partial payment until the trip starts.

ℹ️ Note: Even if the Full Payment option is disabled, setting cut-off days will automatically make full payment available for bookings that fall within the cut-off period.

3. Set Payment Reminders: #

The Payment Reminder feature allows you to automatically notify customers about their upcoming due payments before the trip begins. Additionally, you can show a custom deposit message at checkout to inform travelers of their remaining payment schedule.

This helps streamline payment collection and reduces missed or delayed payments by keeping travelers informed and on track.

New Options and Configuration #

To configure this feature, go to:
WP Travel Engine > Settings > Extensions > Partial Payment

1. Final Payment Due In #

Set how many days before the trip start date the final payment must be made. This value is also used to schedule the automatic email reminder.

ℹ️ Example: If you set this to 7 days, travelers will be required to pay the remaining balance 7 days before the trip begins and receive a reminder accordingly.

2. Deposit Message at Checkout #

You can show a message at checkout that informs customers when their remaining payment is due.

• Use {payment_due_date} to dynamically display the due date and {amount_due} to display the remaining balance due.

ℹ️ Example Message:
“Your remaining balance of {amount_due} is due by {payment_due_date}. You will receive a reminder email before this date.”

4. Set Trip-Specific Partial Payment Amount #

Partial Payment can also be applied to each individual trip, allowing you to customize the deposit amount as a percentage or fixed amount. You can also disable the partial payment option if you don’t want for any trips.

• Go to Trips > All Trips and select the trip to edit.
• Scroll down to find the WP Travel Engine – Trip Settings area at the bottom of the trip page.
• Click on the Date and Price tab.
• Locate the Partial Payment options and configure the settings for the trip.

You can choose to use the global settings you’ve already configured, customize them specifically for this trip, or disable them entirely.

Once you configure it, update the trip.

4. Set the Partial Payment Reminder Email #

Once you’ve enabled and configured the reminder settings above, set the reminder email template from:
Dashboard > WP Travel Engine > Settings > Emails > Notifications > Customer

• Scroll to the “Partial Payment Reminder” email template.
• Customize the subject, content, and design.
• The email is automatically sent based on the “Final Payment Due In” setting.

ℹ️ Note: The email will only be sent if both the Partial Payment and Payment Reminder features are enabled and correctly configured.

Common Use Cases #

• High-Value Trips: Allow customers to secure bookings with a deposit for expensive tours.
• Early Bird Offers: Encourage early bookings by accepting partial payments in advance.
• Group Bookings: Facilitate group reservations by enabling each member to pay a portion upfront.

Troubleshooting and FAQs #