WeDive improves cash flow visibility and streamlines exotic currency payments

The Challenge

Complex payments to exotic travel destinations

WeDive is a Swiss travel company specializing in curated diving and snorkeling experiences around the world. For more than 25 years, the business has focused on personalized consultation, tailor-made itineraries, and long-standing relationships with dive operators, accommodation providers, and other partners.

While customers pay WeDive in Swiss francs (CHF), the company books trips and settles invoices with international suppliers in a range of currencies. Most larger payments are in euro and the US dollar. However, it also makes operationally critical payments in exotic currencies, including the Indonesian rupiah and Philippine peso.

“Customers book trips 12 months in advance, sometimes even 24 months, based on pricing in CHF that we’ve calculated at the time,” explains Evi Wyss, CEO of WeDive. “Any unexpected FX movements between the time of booking and when invoices are due have the potential to eat into our margins and cash flow. This is a particular issue for our large euro and USD payments.”

Timely management of exotic currency payments is another critical factor for WeDive. “We needed an efficient and reliable way to make these payments without the hassle of opening foreign bank accounts. Any delays or incomplete payments could jeopardize a client’s ability to secure their preferred travel dates. It’s critical that we meet our customers’ needs.”

The Solution

Forward contracts and a global banking network

Convera worked closely with WeDive to help modernize its cross-border operations through a combination of intuitive technology, FX risk tools, and personalized support.

Using the Convera GlobalPay platform, WeDive can now easily initiate international payments in more than 140 currencies across 200 countries and territories. Convera’s extensive financial network of 50+ global bank partners is especially valuable for exotic‑currency transactions. This empowers WeDive to pay partners in locations like Fiji without opening their own local bank accounts.

To manage FX exposure on major currency flows, WeDive uses Convera’s multi‑currency holding balances supported by forward contracts in euro and USD. Foreign exchange forwards allow the team to lock in an exchange rate in advance and draw down funds from their holding balance as invoices become due, creating visibility into future cash flow and pricing.

The Results

Diving into greater clarity, control, and efficiency

With Convera, WeDive has a streamlined, scalable payment infrastructure that supports its global supplier network and helps ensure clients receive the travel experiences they expect on time, every time.

“We make more than 1000 cross-border payments every year through the GlobalPay platform, and the process is simple,” Evi says. “Our team can log in and easily initiate payments in all the currencies we need. It’s very flexible, and if I ever need support, the Convera team is quick to step in and help.”

WeDive also appreciates Convera’s beneficiary bank detail checks, which take place behind the scenes. “I can be confident that our payments are formatted correctly for efficient delivery. This is especially important for exotic payments, which often have unique beneficiary requirements,” Evi explains.

“We’re also more confident about the pricing we set for clients by locking in EUR and USD rates in advance through forward contracts and holding balances,” Evi continues. “This means we have more visibility into how much a foreign invoice will cost in Swiss francs and can budget accordingly.”

“I would definitely recommend Convera to other travel companies for their expertise in currency markets around the world, intuitive payment platform, and personalized support.”

As WeDive continues to curate new travel destinations, its collaboration with Convera positions the company for sustained growth. Future opportunities include integrating GlobalPay directly into WeDive’s accounting system to further automate workflows and reduce manual processing.