Visa launches a passion-led travel platform, live in 10 locations worldwide
visa-logo-
The platform is available in Paris, London, Dubai, Milan, Rome, Mexico City, New York City, Miami, San Francisco and Thailand.
Visa announced the launch of Visa Destinations, a passion-led travel platform live in 10 major locations around the world, 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 2025 alone, 4 in 10 American travellers made a trip to experience music, sports or art festivals, with major cultural moments acting as 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 hidden gems; it delivers 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 is expected to grow 10% annually over the coming years. It consistently shows resilience to the world’s events, and consumers protect it. Our latest Visa Global Travel Intentions Study indicates customers will cut back on everyday spending to save for planned travel,” said Katya Petelina, Head of Global Cross-Border and Global Sales & Commercial Operations at Visa. “With Visa Destinations, we are accompanying travellers throughout their journey and helping them discover the moments that make a destination memorable, while giving our issuers and merchant partners a meaningful way to participate in the economic growth that travel creates.”
Visa Destinations is available and curating experiences in 10 locations, including Paris, London, Dubai, Milan, Rome, Mexico City, New York City, Miami, San Francisco and Thailand.
Visa has partnered across the financial and travel ecosystem to increase the platform’s value proposition. Global anchor partners include financial institution Santander Group, promoting Visa Destinations to their customers in key regions around the world, and travel partners Global Blue, Star Alliance, and Trip.com Group. Together, these partnerships provide Visa cardholders with exclusive access, premium benefits, and locally distinctive experiences that bring cardholders closer to the character of each destination.
Matías Sánchez, Global Head of Cards and Digital Solutions at Santander, said, “Through our partnership with Visa, we are bringing exclusive opportunities to our customers across ten key markets, giving them access to extraordinary experiences in music, sports, fashion, gastronomy and culture that can only be enjoyed through this global collaboration.”
“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 Virginie Alem, Global Blue Chief Marketing Officer.
Renato Ramos, Vice President Corporate Strategy, Star Alliance said, “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.”
“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 touch point. 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 Sun Bo, Chief Marketing Officer at Trip.com Group.
