Nuh Travel saves tens of thousands a month by accelerating global payments with Airwallex

Introducing Nuh Travel & Tours

Nuh Travel & Tours is an award-winning Malaysian online travel agency specialising in European and Central Asian leisure tours. Founded in 2019 by Abdul Halim Aliumar, the company was built on a simple belief that travellers deserve faster service and transparent pricing.

Today, the company operates extensive outbound travel programmes across Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. It also runs a growing inbound business focused on bringing international visitors to Malaysia.

With suppliers across the globe, cross-border payments sit at the heart of every booking. Delays and hidden costs slow operations, put bookings at risk, and quietly erode margins.

The challenge

Transfer delays put supplier relationships and revenue at risk

As Nuh Travel grew, its traditional banking setup became a major bottleneck. The team had to call the bank, fill in forms, and visit a branch just to lock an FX rate, and supplier transfers could take up to seven days – time the business couldn’t afford to lose.

These delays created significant booking risk. Suppliers across Saudi Arabia and Europe operate on dynamic pricing. If a payment isn't confirmed promptly, rates can change or bookings may be released. In one instance, a RM 3 million transfer to a Saudi hotel group was held in processing, leaving the hotel close to releasing the rooms. The team had no visibility into when the funds would arrive, and no way to speed up the transfer or reassure the supplier.

Slow, expensive banking eroded margins

Traditional banking also drove up costs on every payment. Inflated FX spreads, SWIFT processing charges, and intermediary bank deductions meant suppliers often received less than the expected payment amount. This meant the team had to step in to reconcile differences and explain shortfalls to suppliers, adding to their daily workload.

In extreme cases, tour leaders carried up to RM250,000 in physical cash to pay hotels directly – an unsustainable and risky workaround.

Abdul Halim Aliumar

Founder & CEO of Nuh Travel & Tours

"In travel, when suppliers don't receive payment on time, they panic. Bookings fall through, relationships break down, and customers suffer. We were always chasing, explaining, and apologising for delays we couldn’t control."

The team spent more time managing banking workarounds than growing the business. Tracking was done on paper, banks were unreachable after 5pm, and transfers took up to seven days to process.

Nuh Travel had the demand, but its manual payment workflows eroded margins faster than the business could scale.

The solution

Airwallex replaced traditional banking workflows with a single financial platform, giving the team the speed and visibility they needed to scale. Instead of juggling disconnected bank systems and manual paper trails, the team now manages their entire financial operation – from holding funds to sending local payouts – in one platform.

A global financial platform replaced manual banking and hidden fees

Supplier payments that previously went through SWIFT now move over Airwallex’s local payment rails, typically arriving within hours instead of days. With FX & Transfers, the team locks rates digitally and confirms payments in a few clicks, so suppliers receive funds on time and bookings stay secure.

Airwallex's interbank FX rates replaced the inflated spreads Nuh Travel had been absorbing from its bank, while local payouts eliminated SWIFT fees entirely. With Global Accounts, Nuh Travel can receive payments from European travel agents in EUR and pay suppliers in the same currency, avoiding unnecessary conversions and FX mark-ups.

The team has traded high-risk physical cash transfers and spreadsheet hunts for a single dashboard that shows balances, fees, and cash flow in real time. Because Airwallex provides a clear view of every transaction, the team no longer wastes time on manual reconciliation or explaining payment shortfalls to partners.

Abdul Halim Aliumar

Founder & CEO of Nuh Travel & Tours

"With Airwallex, I can now plan my payments, schedule them for the right date, and even put idle funds to work. The flexibility changes how you run the business."

The result

With Airwallex, Nuh Travel no longer loses margin to unclear bank fees or waits days for transfers to land. The team has full visibility over every international payment, helping the business lock in predictable costs, strengthen supplier relationships, and plan for regional expansion with confidence.

• Nuh Travel now saves up to RM250 per transfer, replacing inflated bank spreads and SWIFT charges that previously ate into every payment.

• International transfers that once took up to seven days via traditional banking now settle within 24 hours, strengthening supplier trust and unlocking better partnership terms.

• Time spent on bank visits, paper forms, and manual reconciliation has been reduced by 2–3 hours daily, replacing manual workflows with a faster, digital-first process, freeing the team to focus on what matters most – growing the business.

With financial operations on solid ground, Nuh Travel has turned its attention to scaling its inbound tourism business, targeting travellers from China, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Eastern Europe.

For any travel business considering regional expansion, Abdul Halim's advice is clear: build strong partnerships with suppliers and ensure your financial infrastructure can keep pace. With Airwallex, Nuh Travel replaced slow, manual processes with a system built for speed and control.

​​This publication does not constitute legal, tax, or professional advice from Airwallex or substitute for seeking such advice, and makes no express or implied representations / warranties / guarantees regarding content accuracy, completeness, or currency. If you would like to request an update, feel free to contact us at [[email protected]]. Airwallex (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., a company incorporated under the laws of Malaysia with company registration number 201801007747 (1269761-X), is regulated as a licensed remittance business under the Money Services Business Act 2011 (Licence number 00743 with an expiry date of 3 August 2028, an E-Money Issuer and a registered merchant acquirer under the Financial Services Act 2013. You can verify our licenses for remittance here, e-Money Issuer here and registration for merchant acquiring here.