Payment cards major American Express has announced an NFT-themed initiative for its users who frequently travel internationally. This week, the company launched the Amex travel app to provide a one-stop shop for all things travel — from tickets to hotel bookings and more. As part of this app, Amex has integrated an NFT-themed feature looking to commemorate the international travels its users as a permanent blockchain record.
Essentially, the Amex Passport feature on the app will let travelers collect digital stamps commemorating their travel experiences. These stamps that will be logged on the Ethereum-supported Base blockchain will fall under the NFT category because they would be digital collectibles.
“As physical passport stamps continue to disappear, Amex Passport creates an opportunity for Card Members to celebrate their travels,” said Luke Gebb, the Executive Vice President at Amex Digital Labs as commenting on the development.
Amex users who install the travel app will have the option to enroll for the passport stamp service. These stamps have been designed to represent different countries through cultural nuances and architecture. In addition, users will also be enabled to customize their stamps and use a particular delicacy or a favorite activity from the region they are travelling to, to feature on the stamps.
“This feature resonates strongly with travelers, as 73 percent of respondents to a recent Amex survey stated they want more ways to commemorate past trips digitally, and more than half (56 percent) miss receiving a passport stamp,” the New York-headquartered company said in its statement.
Enrolled Amex users will automatically earn these digital stamps everytime they initiate payments from outside their home regions. Collectors will be allowed to share these earned stamps on social media and also post it to their peers through text messaging.
NFTs, or non-fungible tokens can be explained as unique digital assets that are imprinted on a blockchain. These represent a proof of ownership for a digital item, which could be a piece of art, a collectible, or even a physical asset like real estate.
In the last few years, NFTs have often found themselves in the midst of several marketing campaigns and loyalty programmes.
Just this year in January, for instance, Jeju Island, a self-governing province in South Korea, started considering plans to incorporate NFTs into its tourism strategy.
Germany’s Lufthansa Airlines, Mastercard, Starbucks, and even U.S. President Donald Trump have explored the NFT sector in recent years.