
The Surcharge Is Dead. Now Comes the Hard Part.
Let’s be clear: the card surcharge, as we know it, is on borrowed time. From 1 October 2026, Australia’s payments landscape will shift following the Reserve Bank of Australia’s payments reform. The practical outcome for accommodation businesses is simple. Visa, Mastercard, and EFTPOS will be able to enforce no-surcharge rules on the cards they cover. For most resorts and hotels, that means the familiar “add 1–1.5% at checkout” model is effectively over.
Learn more