SINGAPORE, 3 July 2026: Visa announced this week the expansion of Visa Destinations, a travel platform live in 10 major locations worldwide, as the company redefines its role in the rapidly growing experience-driven travel economy.
The move marks a strategic expansion of Visa’s role beyond payments, positioning the company at the centre of how travellers discover, plan and experience trips.
According to Visa research, travellers are increasingly choosing destinations based on passion, purpose, and experiences, not just geography. In a recent study by Visa, personal interests are strongly reflected in how consumers in Asia Pacific intend to travel – 66% intend to travel for global concert tours. In comparison, 54% intend to travel for sports events [1]. Increasingly, major cultural moments and events are magnets for international visitors and catalysts for local economies.
Available exclusively to Visa customers, through a mobile-first platform, Visa Destinations is designed around why people travel, whether they are drawn by food, fashion, sports, or simply by wandering the streets for hidden gems, and delivers tastemaker recommendations, city guides, and curated experiences to support Visa’s shift from being the way to pay for travel to becoming a travel companion.
“Travel demand across Asia Pacific remains strong, but travellers are raising the bar on what they expect from every trip,” said Visa Head of Products and Solutions, Asia Pacific, TR Ramachandran. “Our Visa Global Travel Intentions study shows that travellers are more deliberate than ever, prioritising destinations they trust while seeking flexibility and greater ease in planning. Interest in distinctive local experiences continues to grow. Visa Destinations is expanding into key global locations, leveraging our insights and network to redefine access to experiences that leave a lasting impression and create new opportunities for our partners across the travel economy.
Visa Destinations is available and curating experiences in 10 cities, comprising Paris, London, Dubai, Milan, Rome, Mexico City, New York City, Miami, San Francisco and Bangkok.
Once on board, cardholders can enhance their trips through curated offerings across dining, entertainment, culture, hospitality, wellness, shopping and transport, such as exclusive viewing moments and Priority Access to Top of the Rock Observation Deck at Rockefeller Centre in New York City and the Musée du Louvre in Paris, as well as dining experiences tastemakers recommend.
Premium cardholders, including Visa Infinite and Visa Signature, can enjoy enhanced benefits and tailored travel experiences.
Strong partnerships behind Visa Destinations
Visa has partnered with global leaders across the travel ecosystem to increase the platform’s value proposition. Global anchor partners Global Blue, Star Alliance, and Trip.com Group provide Visa cardholders with exclusive access, premium benefits, and locally distinctive experiences that bring cardholders closer to the character of each destination.
“We are delighted to partner with Visa to bring the value of the Tax Free Shopping experience to travellers using Visa Destinations. In doing so, international travellers benefit from increased purchasing power, a seamless and guaranteed refund process, and an enhanced shopping journey while immersing themselves in the destination of their choice,” said Global Blue Chief Marketing Officer Virginie Alem.
“As the leading global airline alliance, Star Alliance is uniquely positioned to offer travellers access to unmatched reach through our 26 member airlines, enabling seamless multi-airline journeys. This partnership with Visa will deliver great value to travellers through exclusive experiences that will make every journey even more memorable. We are excited about the opportunities this collaboration will unlock,” said Star Alliance Vice President Corporate Strategy, Renato Ramos.
“Travel should always be inspiring, intuitive, and rewarding. That is why, at Trip.com Group, we are constantly reimagining how journeys are planned and experienced – with simplicity at every touchpoint. Our collaboration with Visa brings this vision to life, combining secure, seamless payments with curated travel offerings and elevated benefits, turning every journey into something truly extraordinary,” said Trip.com Group Chief Marketing Officer Sun Bo.
[1] Visa’s Global Travel Intentions Study 2026
About Visa
Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories.
(Source: Visa Worldwide Pte Ltd)
