This article originally appeared on ForwardKeys.
The numbers are in — here are the destinations that generated the most interest among leisure and business travellers who were travelling by air in 2025.
This is what you’ll find:
- The most popular destinations worldwide
- Top performers for year-on-year growth
- Top 10 APAC destinations
- The top destinations for business travel
London, Tokyo, Paris: 2025’s Most Popular Global Destinations
London maintained its lead as the world’s most visited destination in 2025. Tokyo followed close behind with a +2.3% share, while Paris climbed to third place (+2.0%), indicating broadly stable demand across these major hubs.
Madrid and Alicante take the spotlight with +10% growth over 2024
Madrid and Alicante led the charge (both +10%) of the top performing destinations in terms of their growth over last year, with Punta Cana close behind (+9%). Dubai and Marrakech rounded out the top five with solid momentum (both +8%).
2025 APAC momentum: North Asia powers ahead
APAC destinations continued their momentum into 2025, led by strong gains across North Asia. Okinawa topped the growth table (+36%), while Beijing (+29%), Shanghai (+27%), and Guangzhou (+26%) all posted robust year-on-year increases, underlining the resurgence of mainland China.
Corporate travel climbers: Shanghai and Tokyo lead 2025 growth
Shanghai remained the fastest-growing international business destination in 2025, rising +10% year on year. Tokyo also strengthened its position with solid growth (+9%) and Madrid remained the largest of the top performers by share (2.2%) and grew +5% versus 2024.
