Tongan Businesses Are Being Robbed by High Commissions and Foreign Fees — Sevtech Solutions Launches TongaBooking.com to Keep Profits in Tonga

By Sevtech Solutions

In a world where online convenience drives nearly every industry, Tonga has long faced a challenge: how can local businesses compete in a digital marketplace dominated by global platforms that take big commissions and send profits overseas?

For years, Tongan accommodation providers, tour operators, and service businesses have relied on international booking systems such as Booking.com and Airbnb to reach customers. While these platforms connect Tonga to the world, they come with heavy costs — 15–25% commissions, strict platform control, and payments made in foreign currencies like USD or AUD.

Those fees and foreign payouts mean a large portion of Tonga’s tourism revenue never stays in Tonga.

That’s the problem Sevtech Solutions set out to solve.

💡 Introducing TongaBooking.com — Built for Tonga, in Tonga

TongaBooking.com is a homegrown digital booking platform created by Sevtech Solutions, a Tongan technology company focused on building tools that empower local businesses and communities.

It’s more than just a website — it’s a booking marketplace designed specifically for the Tongan economy.

Businesses can list their services, manage reservations, and receive online payments directly in Tongan Paʻanga (TOP) through a secure integration with BSP’s Internet Payment Gateway (IPG).

The platform is completely free to join, with only a 6% transaction fee for online payments — a fraction of what global platforms charge.

💭 The Problem Tonga Faces

When Tongan businesses use global booking platforms, they face several disadvantages:

• High commissions — 15–25% of each booking goes to the platform, not the business.
• Foreign currency payouts — income arrives in USD, AUD, or NZD, subject to exchange rates and transfer delays.
• Limited control — businesses must follow strict platform policies, pricing rules, and cancellation terms.
• Offshore profits — most of the money earned from Tongan tourism never re-enters the local economy.

These challenges make it harder for local operators to stay competitive, reinvest in their services, and grow sustainably.

TongaBooking.com flips that model entirely.

⚙️ The Solution — A Local Digital Marketplace

TongaBooking.com gives local businesses everything they need to compete in today’s online world — while keeping ownership, flexibility, and profit in Tonga.

Here’s how it changes the game:

✅ 1. Local Currency, Local Control

Businesses receive payments in Tongan Paʻanga (TOP), with no hidden exchange or transfer fees.
They can set their own prices, policies, and availability directly through the platform — complete independence.

✅ 2. Lower Fees, More Profit

With only a 6% transaction fee (applied only to online payments), businesses keep more of what they earn.
For small operators, this can mean thousands of Paʻanga saved each year.

✅ 3. Instant Online Presence

Every business listed on TongaBooking.com gets its own professional online profile page — complete with descriptions, images, contact info, and booking capability.
For many local operators, this is their first real online presence — no need to build a separate website or manage complicated systems.

✅ 4. Easy for Tourists and Locals

Visitors to TongaBooking.com can browse, compare, and book everything in one place — from accommodation and car rentals to tours, boat trips, and event services.
Locals can also use the platform to find and book local experiences and services, making it a marketplace for both visitors and residents.

✅ 5. Keeps the Economy Local

Because TongaBooking.com operates in Tongan currency and is managed within Tonga, the money stays here.
That means more income circulating within the country — supporting jobs, families, and communities.

✅ 6. Local Support, Local Understanding

Unlike international booking platforms, TongaBooking.com offers on-island customer support through a team that understands local businesses, culture, and challenges.
When you need help, you talk to people who actually know Tonga.

⚖️ TongaBooking.com vs. Global Platforms

🌐 Empowering Tonga’s Digital Future

TongaBooking.com isn’t just about bookings — it’s about digital transformation.

For many local businesses, going digital has always been a challenge. Limited access to online tools, lack of payment gateways in TOP, and high development costs made it difficult to compete globally.

By providing a ready-to-use, free platform, Sevtech Solutions has made digital entry simple. Businesses that were once invisible online can now be discovered by tourists planning their trips, Tongans living abroad, or locals searching for services.

Every listing strengthens Tonga’s visibility as a destination — while ensuring the benefits of digital commerce stay local.

🧭 A Platform for Tourism, Community, and Growth

For businesses, TongaBooking.com means:

• Affordable access to online bookings and payments
• Greater visibility to both local and international audiences
• Increased profitability through lower fees
• A professional online presence with minimal effort

For tourists and customers, it means:

• A single marketplace to explore Tonga’s offerings
• Transparent pricing in TOP
• Easy, secure payments via BSP
• Supporting local operators directly

And for Tonga as a whole, it means keeping value and innovation inside the kingdom — fueling economic independence through digital empowerment.

🚀 Built by Tongans, for Tonga

Sevtech Solutions is a Tongan technology firm focused on building the systems and platforms that will drive the nation’s digital future.
With TongaBooking.com, the company is setting a new standard for digital infrastructure designed around local needs.

As Sevtech’s founder puts it:

“Our mission is to build a digital Tonga — one solution at a time. TongaBooking.com is just the beginning.”

🌴 The Future of Booking in Tonga

TongaBooking.com represents more than convenience — it represents ownership.
Ownership of your business, your brand, and your digital future.

By choosing local solutions like TongaBooking.com, Tongan businesses are not just making bookings — they’re building the foundation of a Digital Tonga that works for everyone.