Elimination of travel reservation fraud using the Ethereum blockchain

Abstract

The travelling industry has become one of the largest and most influential international service organisations in the modern world. It is inevitable to note that it has experienced innovation over time, but malicious fraudsters have also disrupted the industry. The evolving technology has been a powerful tool in stamping out such concerns currently in the spotlight. The Ethereum Blockchain has been used to develop a system that can be implemented by both local and online travel agents. It provides for users to be registered and verified, and together with the PKI infrastructure, the system demonstrates authenticity through utilising uniquely identified keys for digital signatures confirming the user’s identity. Payment processing is rendered secure by both requiring the user to be logged on and also by holding funds in an escrow account before being released to the travel agency. The commission portion is processed to the travel agent once all parties sign and authorise the release. Thus non-repudiation is also addressed. Feedback from local travel agencies was deemed an essential part of the project since real experiences were discussed, and the main concerns were identified. Through implementing a test version of the system, a positive response was gathered as stakeholders have confirmed that the developed process could substantially reduce or possibly eliminate fraud.