Drawing from card-present transactions—where both the cardholder and physical card are at the point of sale—Visa Consulting and Analytics (VCA) identified key Filipino spending patterns during the festive period, showcasing dynamic behavior across local and overseas transactions throughout December.
“Christmas brings people together, and our data underscores the holidays’ enduring socio-cultural and economic significance to the country. For Visa, it’s important that we enable these personal journeys and experiences through payments that are fast, seamless, and secure, so that Filipinos and tourists alike can have meaningful celebrations anywhere across the country and abroad,” said Jeffrey Navarro, Country Manager for Visa Philippines.
Local rush, overseas spree
Visa’s data analysis shows Filipinos start shopping early for Christmas. Local card transactions rise steadily through December, showing notable spikes every weekend and hitting their peak on December 23, the last weekend before Christmas Eve. This reflects the holiday rush in malls and commercial districts as Filipinos complete gift shopping before family celebrations. Domestic spending then eases as people return to their hometowns for festivities leading up to the New Year.
For Filipinos traveling abroad, the trend flips—spending accelerates after Christmas, peaking on December 29 and tapering off toward the New Year. This indicates continued leisure and travel-related purchases during overseas vacations.
Christmas without borders
The holidays also bring a surge in foreign spending within the Philippines. Tourists and returning overseas Filipinos drive higher local transactions using foreign-issued cards. The top inbound corridors by payment volume in U.S. dollars are United States, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore.
Holiday spending spans beyond Metro Manila, with six of the top ten destinations outside the capital. Makati and Parañaque lead, followed by Cebu, Angeles, and Davao—showing that festive spending is spread nationwide.
Spending habits vary by inbound tourists’ origin: visitors from the U.S., South Korea, Singapore, Australia, and Hong Kong spend most on lodging; Taiwanese and Japanese tourists favor entertainment; Indian travelers allocate more to education and government; Canadians and many Americans prioritize food and groceries.
As holiday spending continues to shape consumer trends, Visa remains committed to enabling secure, seamless, and innovative payment experiences for Filipinos and travelers alike. These insights highlight how payments power connections during the most festive time of the year.
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