International Travel and Staycations Drive Growth in Summer Spending in Pakistan

  • Summer spending on Visa premium consumer cards in Pakistan rose 36% year over year.
  • Longer getaways captured 66% of travel spend, while emerging destinations such as Malaysia, Thailand, and Qatar spend rose 63%.
  • eCommerce spending among premium Visa cardholders increased 19%, indicating a growing preference for alternative payment methods.

Karachi, Pakistan, September 16, 2025: Visa, a global leader in digital payments, today released its latest consumer spending insights for the 2025 summer holiday period in Pakistan, based on the Visa Consulting & Analytics Retail Spend Monitor. The data reveals a 36% increase in total summer spending on Visa premium consumer cards compared to 2024, highlighting continued growth in digital payments, higher-value transactions, and evolving travel preferences.

Shifting Consumer Behavior This Summer   
Summer spending in Pakistan not only increased compared to last year but also demonstrated changes in consumer behavior. The holiday period saw a 63% rise in emerging travel destinations, while staycations grew by 26%. Planning began as early as three months in advance for 7% of travelers, 9% planned within 1–3 months, while the majority (84%) opted for last-minute plans within a month – emphasizing the freedom and convenience offered by digital payments. Dining and leisure spend increased by 57%, and digital payments by premium Visa cardholders expanded by 110%, who accounted for 35% share of overall summer spend. 

Travel Trends: 

Short Escapes vs. Extended Getaways
Consumers in Pakistan favored both short (under 3 days) and long trips, with longer getaways accounting for 66% of travel spend and generating higher average spending.

Outbound Travel
Outbound travel shifted toward emerging destinations such as Malaysia, Thailand, Qatar, Azerbaijan, Switzerland, and Indonesia, which saw a 63% increase. Premium Visa cardholders increased their outbound travel spend by 11%, now representing nearly 80% of total summer travel spend. 

Inbound Travel 
Inbound travel spending by premium Visa cardholders from the Gulf (Saudi Arabia and Bahrain) and Africa (South Africa, Mozambique, and Malawi) grew by 33%. Premium cardholder spending from Europe—particularly the United Kingdom, Turkey, the Netherlands, and Belgium—rose by 44%.

Digital and eCommerce Continue to Grow  
Digital spend among premium Visa cardholders rose by 110%. eCommerce spending also increased by 19% within this segment, showing a growing preference for alternate payment methods.

”Consumers in Pakistan are embracing digital payment options and experiences more than ever this summer,” said Umar Khan, Country Manager for Visa in Pakistan & Afghanistan. “Visa is proud to support this evolution by enabling secure, seamless, and inclusive payment solutions, whether consumers are exploring new destinations or enjoying staycations at home. With innovation and trust, we remain committed to empower every journey, always adapting to changing preferences.”  

Visa’s Retail Spend Monitor was produced by Visa Consulting & Analytics (VCA), capturing total retail, travel, and experience-related activity during Pakistan’s summer break (1st July – 15th August), based on a subset of VisaNet data and complemented by survey-based estimates for other payment methods.  

“With the regional expertise of Visa Consulting & Analytics and the scale of VisaNet, Visa empowers clients with actionable insights into evolving consumer behaviors—helping them plan strategically, respond faster to demand shifts, and unlock new growth opportunities, especially during key seasonal moments like the summer holidays,” said Nicolas Khoury, SVP, Head of Visa Consulting & Analytics, CEMEA.

About Visa’s Retail Spend Monitor 

The Retail Spend Monitor insights on national retail sales across all payment types. The findings are based on a subset of aggregate retail sales activity in the Visa payments network, coupled with survey-based estimates for other forms of payment. This comprehensive analysis provides valuable insights into consumer spending behaviors and trends, aiding retailers in strategic planning and market positioning.  Premium card definition - Following cards are mapped under Premium category – VISA SIGNATURE, VISA SIGNATURE PREFERRED, VISA INFINITE, VISA INFINITE PRIVILEGE, VISA PLATINUM, VISA ULTRA HIGH NET WORTH.

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. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com. 

The views, opinions, and/or estimates, as the case may be (“views”), expressed herein are those of the Visa Consulting and Analytics team and do not necessarily reflect those of Visa executive management or other Visa employees and affiliates. This content is intended for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon for operational, marketing, legal, technical, tax, financial, or other advice and does not in any way reflect actual or forecasted Visa operational or financial performance. Visa neither makes any warranty nor representation as to the completeness or accuracy of the views contained herein, nor assumes any liability or responsibility that may result from reliance on such views. These views are often based on current market conditions and are subject to change without notice. 

Media Contact:

Bisma Rizwan
[email protected]