Phl travel boom mirrors Asia-Pacific surge

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.

- By KEISHA TA-ASAN

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.