Asia, Africa and Oceania lead global tourism preferences

MADRID Jan. 11 () –

Destinations in Southeast and South Asia, along with some notable destinations in Africa and America, are emerging as the favorites of international travelers for the first half of 2025, according to the latest analysis from the tourism intelligence platform Mabrian. Furthermore, the Oceania region will mark an important milestone with a notable recovery in demand, especially in Australia and New Zealand.

In Europe, cities such as Madrid, Rome and Lisbon also reflect significant growth in international demand, consolidating themselves as key points on the world tourism map.

Mabrian’s analysis, based on the Flight Search Share Index from the main global airports, indicates strong interest in Southeast Asia, which concentrates 13.5% of international inspirational demand for the first half of 2025. Destinations such as Thailand (Bangkok and Phuket), the Philippines (Manila), Indonesia (Bali) and Vietnam (Hanoi) stand out as the most desired by travelers.

In East Asia, Tokyo ranks second globally in year-on-year demand growth, followed by Seoul in South Korea. For its part, South Asia, with emblematic destinations such as India (Delhi and Mumbai), Maldives and Sri Lanka (Colombo), also shows notable growth, representing 6.5% of global interest.

Carlos Cendra, partner and director of Marketing and Communications at Mabrian, explains that “searches for Asian destinations reflect a significant increase compared to other markets, which anticipates promising arrival numbers in the coming months.”

OCEANIA, THE EXPECTED RETURN.

2025 will mark the full recovery of Oceania as an international tourist destination. The region exceeds 3% of the world total in inspirational demand, with Australia (Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane) and New Zealand (Auckland) as the most prominent destinations.

According to Mabrian, the renewed interest in Oceania is due to steady progress in post-pandemic recovery and promotional campaigns that have reinforced its international appeal.

In America, inspirational demand for destinations such as Los Angeles, Miami and Orlando in the United States remains on the rise, while in Latin America and the Caribbean, Cancún, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Punta Cana and San José lead the interest of international travelers.

In sub-Saharan Africa, interest is focused on hotspots such as Cape Town and Johannesburg in South Africa, as well as island destinations such as Mauritius, Seychelles and Cape Verde (Sal Island). The iconic Kilimanjaro in Tanzania also sees a significant increase in searches.

EUROPE: ROME AND LISBON IN THE LEAD.

Europe, which represents 17.2% of international demand, maintains its tourist relevance. Madrid, Lisbon and Rome stand out for their notable increase in searches, with the Italian capital bracing for a surge in arrivals thanks to its role as host of Jubilee Year 2025.

Mabrian data confirms a diversification in the preferences of international travelers, with a clear commitment to destinations that offer unique experiences, nature and sustainability. The evolution of tourism in the coming year points towards a solid recovery and growing interest in emerging regions.