Travel spend in China surges 80%, falls in Western destinations, Visa says

China rises to the top-five travel destination as UK and US tumble in December rankings.

Singapore residents increased spending on travel to Mainland China in December 2025, with Visa reporting an 80% year-on-year rise.

China moved up eight ranks to become a top-five destination, led by cities such as Shenzhen and Chengdu, which outpaced traditional destinations including Beijing and Shanghai.

Growth was driven by spending on accommodation, retail goods, and department stores.

Regional destinations remained popular, with Malaysia and Japan leading year-end travel. Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru recorded year-on-year spending growth of 31% and 17%, contributing to an overall 18% increase in spending in Malaysia.

Japan ranked second, with total spend up 5%. Winter destinations including Hokkaido and Nagano saw growth of 28% and 26%, whilst affluent travellers accounted for higher spending, up 7%.

Thailand and South Korea were the third and fourth most visited countries.

Spending increased in Chiang Mai and Chonburi in Thailand, and Busan and Jeju in South Korea. Healthcare-related spend rose 28% in Thailand and nearly 90% in South Korea.

Long-haul destinations ranked lower in December. France, the United Kingdom, and the United States fell to seventh, eighth, and eleventh place, even though France saw a 12% increase in card spend.