SINGAPORE (Bernama): Singapore residents continued to travel extensively within the region, with Malaysia retaining its position as their most popular destination in December, data from payment technology company Visa showed.
In a statement, Visa said Singapore residents recorded an 18 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) increase in face-to-face card spending in Malaysia during the year-end travel season, driven by a sharp rise in travel-related spending.
"Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru recorded y-o-y spending growth of 31 per cent and 17 per cent respectively, securing their positions as the top destinations for Singapore residents," it said.
According to Visa, Japan was the second top destination for Singapore residents travelling at year-end, although the y-o-y spending growth was not significant, reaching only five per cent compared to previous years.
Meanwhile, the company noted that Thailand and South Korea remain key travel destinations for Singapore residents, coming in third and fourth places.
Visa’s data also revealed strong spending growth in emerging hotspots such as Chiang Mai and Chonburi in Thailand, and Busan and Jeju in South Korea.
Visa said China continues to grow in popularity as a travel corridor for Singapore residents, rising eight ranks to fifth place this year, with spending in China by Singapore residents surging nearly 80 per cent y-o-y, following a similar trend last year at 86 per cent growth.
"This strong performance was driven by robust spending on accommodation, retail goods, and department stores," said Visa.
-- BERNAMA
