‘Philippines travel boom mirrors Asia-Pacific surge’

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is riding the wave of Asia-Pacific’s travel resurgence, with Tokyo emerging as the top destination for Filipino travelers and local cities like Manila and Cebu gaining ground among foreign tourists, according to Mastercard.

In its Travel Trends 2025 report released by the Mastercard Economics Institute, the global payments firm said that Asia-Pacific continues to dominate the global travel scene for the second consecutive year, accounting for eight of the top 15 trending summer destinations

“The Asia-Pacific region continues to set the pace for global travel,” said David Mann, chief economist for Asia Pacific at Mastercard.

“Even as economic uncertainty persists, travel remains a bright spot – driven by people seeking meaningful, value-driven experiences,” Mann said.

Tokyo and Osaka secured the top two spots globally in terms of tourism demand for the upcoming June to September period, while Vietnam’s beachside city of Nha Trang entered the list for the first time.

For Filipino travelers, Japan remains the destination of choice. Mastercard data shows that Tokyo overtook Hanoi as the most popular outbound destination from the Philippines, reflecting a strong appetite for leisure travel.

Outbound travel spending by Filipinos surpassed pre-pandemic levels by six percent in 2024, underscoring a sustained post-pandemic rebound.

The Philippines is also seeing gains in inbound tourism. South Korea, the United States, Japan, Australia and Singapore remain the country’s top inbound markets.

In addition, Philippine cities have begun to attract more tourists from Vietnam and Taiwan. Manila placed ninth among Vietnamese travelers’ favorite destinations, while Cebu ranked 12th for Taiwanese tourists.

According to the report, travelers in Asia-Pacific are increasingly sensitive to currency movements when deciding where to travel.

A weaker Japanese yen throughout 2024 contributed to a spike in tourism, especially from neighboring countries. A one-percent depreciation of the yen against the Chinese renminbi led to a 1.5-percent increase in Chinese visitors to Japan.

Singaporean visits to Japan hit record highs, buoyed by a 40-percent appreciation of the Singapore dollar versus the yen.

Similarly, travelers from India, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan were found to be highly responsive to fluctuations in the US dollar, influencing their outbound travel to the US.

Across Asia-Pacific, Mastercard found that tourists are prioritizing experiences, especially those centered on food, wellness and nature, over rigid itineraries. Gianyar in Bali and Queenstown in New Zealand were identified as culinary hot spots, while Thailand and New Zealand stood out for wellness-focused travel.

Mastercard also flagged a 28-percent spike in travel fraud during peak seasons, with common scams including inflated charges and fake listings. In response, the company is ramping up fraud prevention efforts using AI-driven systems and digital wallet protections.

“This report offers a clearer view of how consumer behaviors are evolving – and what that means for tourism growth,” Mann said.

“Our goal is to help the travel ecosystem make smarter decisions that lead to better experiences and more resilient economic outcomes,” he said.