Mastercard identifies emerging...

Thailand and Baku in Azerbaijan among growth destinations

Bangkok, New York and Phuket top the list of trending destinations for travellers from the Middle East this summer, according to the Mastercard Economics Institute’s (MEI) Travel Trends 2025 report.

Compared to last year, more people have booked to visit those destinations between June and September 2025 according to the data, with Baku in Azerbaijan and the Greek island of Rhodes making up the top five.

While Thailand being a summer hotspot is no surprise, especially with the so-called White Lotus Effect boosting visits from set-jetters, the inclusion of New York may raise a few eyebrows.

However, as the report points out, major sporting events can draw fans from all over the world and the US is hosting the first 32-team FIFA Club World Cup from 15 June to 13 July 2025. With giants such as Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Paris St Germain and Bayern Munich taking part, not to mention Al Ain from the UAE, Egypt’s Al Ahly and Saudi’s Al Hilal, this tournament is sure to attract football fans from the Middle East, with New York being the most accessible gateway.

Meanwhile, Baku is benefitting from new flights from Middle East airlines like Air Arabia which began a service in 2024, with Azerbaijan proving popular among GCC travellers as a destination that is also good value for money and a relatively short flight. With the recent COP29 taking place in Baku, a burst of new hotels and attractions have arrived in the city.

Baku in Azerbaijan

For global travellers, Tokyo and Osaka show the biggest gains on last year as Japan’s inbound tourism continues to benefit from its weaker currency.

According to MEI, due to the depreciation of the Japanese Yen, Tokyo became the most visited city in the world in 2024, beating Bangkok which held the top spot for a decade. To illustrate the impact currency fluctuations can have, Singaporean visitors to Japan hit record highs as the Singapore Dollar rose 40% against the Yen.

Egyptian resorts Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh also make the top 15 trending destinations for global travellers this summer, again due in part to the relative weakness of the Egyptian Pound but also with the highly anticipated opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum on 3 July 2025.

After two decades of work, and 11 years after the original proposed opening date, the US$1 billion museum complex aims to attract 5 million visitors annually.

Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo

The MEI report also places Jeddah in Saudi Arabia in sixth place globally for growth of flight bookings in 2024 compared to 2019, up 27.2% in that period. MEI says reforms have made it easier to travel to Saudi while Vision 2030 initiatives and projects have created jobs and boosted business travel. On top of that, leisure tourism is also on the rise as infrastructure landmark resorts like Desert Rock welcome first guests.

From the UAE, Riyadh, Doha and Islamabad were the top growth cities for flights in 2024 compared to 2019, while Saudi, Dhaka, Islamabad and Cairo show the biggest increases.

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

MEI has developed a Wellness Travel Index (WTI), which highlights destinations leading in wellness experiences and self-care, with Namibia, South Africa and Thailand topping the list globally thanks to spa-style and nature-based retreats and eco lodges.

The UAE is the only country from the Middle East making the top 20, falling slightly compared to last year and ranking 18th.

“The tourism landscape in the Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (EEMEA) region is evolving, with emerging destinations attracting investment and powering spending,” said Khatija Haque, chief economist EEMEA, Mastercard Economics Institute.

“The report offers interesting insights on how countries are capturing the attention of eager travellers looking for something more than just a change of scene.”

For more information, visit www.mastercardservices.com/en

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