Households with more than US $20,000 in annual income account for more than 90 percent of spending on international travel today, creating a new global traveling class. By 2025, nearly half of all households are projected to have the means to travel. One in eight households will actually travel abroad. To help you understand this opportunity, we ranked countries by their projected annual outbound travel spend in 2025. Emerging markets are taking the lead–representing two of the top five countries.
By 2025, international trips taken by travelers aged 65+ will more than double to 180 million, and a third of households who can afford international travel will actually make the trip. Visa surveys show that while travelers in this age bracket take less trips, they tend to take longer trips and spend more while abroad. Countries were ranked according to the number of trips that travelers aged 65+ will take in 2025. More than half of the top 20 countries are expected to be in Europe.
The construction of more than 340 new airports is expected over the next decade, creating new routes and destinations that will make international travel easier and more convenient. The expansion of Internet access and the increase in the number of mobile devices plays a similar role in connectivity. This expands opportunities to businesses who want to reach potential travelers before, during and after their journeys. Countries were ranked by mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in 2025.
Traveling class households in emerging markets should surpass developed markets by 2025.
Travel spending should shift toward emerging markets.
Traveling class households in emerging markets should surpass developed markets by 2025.
Travel spending should shift toward emerging markets.
Globally those aged 65+ will number more than 840 million people by 2025—72 percent will be located in emerging markets.
Aging matters, because as people get older, they travel less.
Globally those aged 65+ will number more than 840 million people by 2025—72 percent will be located in emerging markets.
Aging matters, because as people get older, they travel less.
More than half of the new airports that will be built over the next decade will be located in the Asia-Pacific region.
Digital connectivity is changing the way we plan and organize trips
More than half of the new airports that will be built over the next decade will be located in the Asia-Pacific region.
Digital connectivity is changing the way we plan and organize trips
By 2025, the number of international trips taken by those aged 65 and over will more than double to over 150 million trips, accounting for one in 10 cross-border trips globally. Surveys by Visa have shown that mature travelers are more concerned with issues related to health and wellness than their younger counterparts. Adapting to the needs of these older travelers can help to create new opportunities for both them and destinations.
World
Asia-Pacific
United States of America
WorldAsia PacificAustralia
ChinaHong Kong, ChinaWorldAsia PacificAustraliaChinaHong Kong, ChinaThailandVietnamPlease select at least one market.
The charts below display key variables for the trend you selected and the geographies you chose for comparison. Use the floating filter to the left of the chart to change the trend and associated variables. You can also change the markets by re-selecting from the tiles above.
The charts below display key variables for the trend you selected and the geographies you chose for comparison. Use the floating filter to the left of the chart to change the trend and associated variables. You can also change the markets by re-selecting from the tiles above.
The charts below display key variables for the trend you selected and the geographies you chose for comparison. Use the floating filter to the left of the chart to change the trend and associated variables. You can also change the markets by re-selecting from the tiles above.
Visa estimated the number of households who have traveled at least once within the past year across borders, Visa compared the number of Visa-branded cardholders in a country who made at least one face-to-face transaction in another country versus the population of all active Visa cardholders in a country. The figures were adjusted to be representative of the entire country population regardless of payment methods used. The propensities were then used as an input in the forecasts developed by Oxford Economics for the study.
Oxford Economics compiled survey data on the age and income of international travelers from a sample of 10 countries in 2004 and 2014, and calculated international travel frequencies and share of travel by age bracket and income class for each country. Changes in travel share by age bracket and income class were then interpolated over the 10-year historical period for the sample countries and projected to a broader set of countries based on their classification as developed or emerging markets and key variables such as gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and total international arrivals per capita.
The estimated travel shares were compared with each country’s household income distribution and age distribution to develop a historical relationship from which to forecast. Oxford Economics forecasts of each country’s distribution of household income and age were leveraged against outbound arrivals forecasts to project international travel shares and volumes by income class and age bracket from 2005 to 2025. Finally, the estimated country results were summed to the world region level in order to determine regional travel volumes by income class and age bracket.
Mapping the future of global travel contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by the terms “outlook,” “forecast,” “expected,” “projected,” “continue," “opportunities,” “should” and similar references to the future. By their nature, forward-looking statements: (i) speak only as of the date they are made, (ii) are neither statements of historical fact nor guarantees of future performance and (iii) are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict or quantify. Therefore, actual results could differ materially and adversely from those forward-looking statements because of a variety of factors, including: the impact of new laws, regulations; economic and geopolitical factors; industry and market developments. You should not place undue reliance on such statements.
Studies, survey results, research, recommendations, and opportunity assessments are provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon for marketing, legal, regulatory or other advice. Recommendations and opportunities should be independently evaluated in light of your specific business needs and any applicable laws and regulations. Visa is not responsible for your use of any studies, survey results, research, recommendations, opportunity assessments or other information, including errors of any kind, or any assumptions or conclusions you might draw from their use. Except where statistically significant differences are specifically noted, survey results should be considered directional only.
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