Rio de Janeiro is a top destination for global travelers; beach towns among the preferred destinations for Latin Americans
May 15, 2025 | MIAMI, FLORIDAPurpose and value-driven experiences motivate consumers to travel; Costa Rica is a top wellness destination
The city of Rio de Janeiro is among the top 15 global preferred destinations for tourists traveling between June and September this year1. This is one of the many insights revealed in Travel Trends 2025: Purpose-driven journeys, the annual Mastercard Economics Institute (MEI) report on consumer spending in the travel economy. While exchange rates and geopolitical dynamics can influence behavior, the report highlights that passions and purpose-driven motivations remain strong drivers shaping the travel industry.
"Latin America and the Caribbean continue to stand out as destinations that connect travelers with what truly matters—whether it’s the excitement of sports fandom at the Copa Libertadores in Buenos Aires or the serene wellness escapes in Costa Rica,” said Gustavo Arruda, Chief Economist for Mastercard Economics Institute. “From Rio de Janeiro to Punta Cana, these locations offer more than just scenery—they’re experiences that resonate with purpose and meaning.”
Drawing on a unique analysis of aggregated and anonymized transaction data and third-party data sources, the report uncovers what is shaping travel choices today. Key findings for Latin America and the Caribbean include:
Trending summer spots between June and September 2025. In Latin America, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) stands out as a trending destination for both domestic and international travelers between June and September 20252. Iguazu, Cancun, Punta Cana, Recife, Florianopolis, Salvador, and Natal follow in popularity from the region. Notably, San Juan appears as the second most trending destination for American and Canadian travelers.
Sports fandom fuels Brazilian travel. MEI examined spending at merchants within five miles of the venue for the Copa Libertadores Final in Buenos Aires. The rise in spending from Brazilian tourists, where both teams hailed, was more than twice the increase from all foreign countries.
Costa Rica is a top wellness destination. Traditional yoga retreats and luxury spas remain popular, yet the wellness landscape continues to expand. As the range of wellness services increases, the number of destinations gaining recognition also grows. Developed by MEI, the Wellness Travel Index (WTI)3 identifies the leading destinations for wellness experiences and self-care – Costa Rica scores among the top 10 for 2024.
Adventure-seekers flock to Argentina, Costa Rica and Brazil. A combination of wanderlust and social media is encouraging tourists to search for adventure. To pinpoint the destinations where nature-based tourism is flourishing, MEI analyzed major national parks on how commerce in the area is contributing to overall tourist expenditures4. In Latin America and the Caribbean, Argentina, Costa Rica and Brazil stand out with national parks accounting for 5.9%, 5.1% and 3.1%, respectively, of cross-border spending in these countries in 2024.
Cartegena is favored by international food fanatics. For tourists favoring culinary delights, MEI measured the median number of nationalities at each restaurant per city, revealing the most globalized foodie destinations. The average restaurant in Cartagena hosted visiting patrons from 43 unique countries in 2024, the highest score in the region. Shaped by the city’s location on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, Cartagena's cuisine includes root vegetables, seafood, plátanos, and tropical fruits and beverages. Quepos, Costa Rica, also figures as an important foodie destination in the report as the coastal town is known for its fresh locally caught seafood and hosts spillover visitors from the Manuel Antonio National Park.
US business travelers shift spending to Latin America and Caribbean. On the business side, travel is becoming more regional and strategic. U.S. corporate travelers are shifting away from flights to Europe and favoring destinations in Canada and Latin America. Compared to 2019, corporate card spending in Latin America has increased5, signaling growing economic ties and regional mobility.
You can view the full “Travel Trends 2025: Purpose-driven journeys” and other reports and insights from MEI, here.
1 OAG flight booking data for travel bookings made Jan-Mar 2025 for travel Jun-Sep 2025 relative to previous levels
2 OAG flight booking data for travel bookings made Jan-Mar 2025 for travel Jun-Sep 2025 relative to previous levels
3 WTI is calculated using the share of cross-border accommodation spending at wellness-related merchants, multiplied by each country’s share of global wellness-related accommodation transaction
4 The analysis created a boundary box using minimum and maximum longitude and latitude of each major national park, measured spending within boundary box.
5 Measuring percentage point change of US cross-border spending 2024 vs 2019.
About the Mastercard Economics Institute
The Mastercard Economics Institute provides insights into global and local economic trends using advanced analytics and Mastercard's proprietary data assets. Established in 2020, MEI supports businesses, governments, and policymakers with economic monitoring services and timely analysis on economic themes including consumer spending, retail and travel trends, and other local and global barometers of economic performance. MEI offers valuable perspectives to inform decision-making and promote sustainable growth worldwide through our thought leadership series, and through Mastercard's specialized product offerings.
About Mastercard
Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we’re building a sustainable economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential.
