Visa and Trip.com Partner to Reach Digital-First Travelers in Asia-Pacific

Visa and Trip.com Group have forged a new strategic partnership designed to merge global payment infrastructure with customized digital travel bookings across the Asia-Pacific market, according to a Tuesday (May 19) press release issued by Visa.

The memorandum of understanding designates Trip.com Group as a global anchor partner for Visa Destinations, a curated program that connects cardholders with specialized, localized travel experiences. Under the agreement, Trip.com will embed Visa Destinations into its broader travel ecosystem, creating targeted promotional offers and simplified transaction processes for a variety of consumer demographics.

The companies intend to launch cooperative marketing campaigns in select regional markets and explore new avenues to connect Trip.com users with Visa’s partnerships in sports, music and lifestyle sectors. In return, Visa Infinite cardholders will gain access to exclusive Trip.com benefits. A key priority for the alliance is accelerating the expansion of tourism between mainland China and the rest of the Asia-Pacific region.

According to the press release, the initiative is tailored to a highly digital-first regional consumer base. Visa’s 2026 Global Travel Intentions study indicates that 72% of surveyed consumers plan to travel within Asia shortly, with 73% relying heavily on credit cards or mobile wallets for their journeys. Furthermore, nearly half (49%) of these consumers are already utilizing artificial intelligence tools to discover and plan their itineraries.

“At Trip.com Group, our mission is to inspire discovery and deliver seamless journeys — constantly innovating to create the perfect trip every time,” said Bo Sun, chief marketing officer at Trip.com Group.

“Through this strategic collaboration with Visa, we are advancing this mission in the Asia-Pacific and beyond by integrating trusted payments capabilities, curated travel experiences and expanded premium offerings across our one-stop travel ecosystem. Together, we are creating more than just convenience for the world’s travelers.”

This latest corporate alliance reflects Visa’s broader regional strategy to seamlessly integrate digital discovery with financial transactions. According to a recent PYMNTS interview, the Asia-Pacific region operates as a highly mobile-native commercial environment, where 73% of all online transactions occur on mobile devices and users fluidly navigate between shopping, messaging and financial applications.

Visa’s Asia Pacific president, Stephen Karpin, noted in the interview that interoperability — connecting diverse networks, wallets and domestic rails — is essential to building the consumer trust required for “intelligent commerce.” Partnering with platforms like Trip.com is consistent with Visa’s strategy to enable payment credentials to function smoothly across international borders while maintaining the familiarity of consumers’ preferred regional applications.