UTRECHT, The Netherlands – According to BCD Travel’s Cities & Trends 2025 Asia Pacific report, Singapore, Tokyo and Hong Kong are the most visited cities in the region by APAC business travelers. The intercontinental list is led by Frankfurt, London and San Francisco. The report is based on BCD clients’ flight and rail data from 2024 in a range of APAC markets.
Top 10 cities
Singapore’s strategic location and vibrant economy plays no small part in the city-state’s popularity among business travelers. Reciprocal visa free policies with other countries in Southeast Asia, an increase in flight seat capacity throughout the region, and an overall reduction in flight fares has contributed to Singapore’s steady growth. These attractive reforms and overall pro-business infrastructure are a win-win for both business travelers and those attending meetings and events in Singapore. It remains unchallenged in the top spot within APAC cities, with a 20% increase from the previous year.
Tokyo moved up to take the second spot with a 38% increase, followed by Hong Kong and Bangkok. Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai, Seoul, Taipei and Jakarta remained unchanged in their positions from the previous year, but welcomed the addition of Sydney into the No. 10 spot.
According to the Global Business Travel Association’s first Business Travel Outlook Poll of 2025, APAC led global business travel spend growth last year, with more than three in four (78%) buyers from that region reporting a higher volume of trips compared to 2023 – including 30% who saw a significant increase.
The list of intercontinental cities is split between five cities in Europe and five in North America, and led by Frankfurt, London and San Francisco.
Top 5 countries
According to BCD flight data, Singapore once again was the most visited APAC country. China and Japan closely follow Singapore’s lead. The top five intercontinental countries remained the same from the previous year, with the U.S. leading the way.
Top routes
According to BCD flight data, the most frequently traveled routes1 for APAC flights primarily depart from Singapore, which accounts for five positions in the top 10 city pairs.
Interestingly, in intercontinental routes Shanghai to San Francisco placed as No.10, moving up from its previous position as No.17. Notably, three of the top 10 intercontinental routes originate from Bengaluru (to Frankfurt, London and Seattle). For intercontinental city pairs, Bengaluru to Frankfurt tops the chart.
Cabin class
For APAC flights, most travelers (84%) booked economy and roughly only 15% booked business class. For intercontinental flights, the figures are split down the middle, with 45% booking business class and 45% booking economy.
Connecting segments, direct flights and layover cities
Direct routes are often the most sought-after due to convenience and comfort factors. Travelers increasingly demand value from in-flight service, and many seek premium travel options. Most APAC flights are direct (89%), largely due to the well-connected route networks within countries.
In contrast, only 25% of intercontinental travel from APAC is direct. This could be due to flight times, high costs or the lack of direct flights.
The top three layover cities in APAC are Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok. The top three intercontinental layovers are Dubai, Doha and Frankfurt. No doubt, all these bustling aviation hubs provide unparalleled airport facilities, shorter layovers, and convenient regional and international flight networks to business travelers worldwide.
Rail travel
Business travelers from any part of the world are sure to marvel at China and Japan’s extensive rail networks.
In Japan, the reliability and punctuality of trains are well known; rarely are trains ever late. Efficiency and speed are hallmarks of the Shinkansen bullet trains which allow for fast travel between major cities, saving valuable time. Rail environments are clean, and easily accessible as they are often stationed in major business districts; while seats are known to be comfortable, with high connectivity. Additionally, private luggage shipping services make business travel easier. These services pick up a traveler’s luggage from a hotel or even a convenience store, and deliver at various different drop-off points.
Business travel on the Chinese railway high-speed system is similar in quality, with extensive routes and economical fares, especially for medium-to-long distance journeys. The most popular routes are Changsha-Shenzhen, Shanghai-Suzhou, and Shanghai-Beijing.
Sustainability imperatives are a significant driver in business travel-related decisions. With lower carbon emissions per passenger compared to air travel, seamless city-center connections, and reliable scheduling, high-speed rail enables business travelers to maximize productivity while reducing their environmental impact. As businesses prioritize sustainability, encouraging rail-based business travel aligns with corporate environmental, social, and governance goals without sacrificing speed or convenience.
Providing employees with resources or the latest trends in sustainability practices is the first step. Leveraging this information in an internal, online booking tool can allow them to find the details they need at their command, when they want. Externally, it is key to engage travelers by communicating through your various company channels. Olivia Ruggles-Brise, VP of Sustainability at BCD advises
The full Cities & Trends APAC 2025 Report with insights about APAC business travelers can be found here. The Cities & Trends APAC Report is part of a series that includes rankings from the U.S. and Europe. These reports aim to provide valuable insights into business travel trends across different regions, helping companies make informed decisions and optimize their travel strategies.
1.Top routes combine data of multiple airports for the following cities: London (Heathrow, London Gatwick, Luton, Stansted and London City); New York City (John F. Kennedy, Newark and La Guardia); Shanghai (Pudong and Hongqiao) and Tokyo (Narita and Haneda).
About the report
Business travel has re-emerged with a vengeance. Changes in remote work policies, the increased use of AI and digital transformative technology, geo-political conflicts, environmental change, and the intertwining of travel and meetings are all contributing factors to an increase in business travel. Not surprisingly, APAC continues to expand as one of the world’s most dynamic and competitive markets for global trade and travel. BCD’s Cities & Trends APAC 2025 editionshows the top destinations for APAC business travelers with insights into how they travel. The findings are based on BCD clients’ flight and rail data from 2024 in a range of APAC markets.
About BCD Travel
BCD Travel helps companies travel smart and achieve more. We drive program adoption, cost savings and talent retention through digital experiences that simplify business travel. Our 15,000+ dedicated team members service clients in 170+ countries as we shape a sustainable future for business travel. BCD’s leading meetings and events management and global consultancy services complete our comprehensive suite of solutions for all aspects of corporate travel. In 2023, BCD achieved US$20.3 billion in sales. For more information, visit www.bcdtravel.com.
Janneke KraanenManager, PR & Content Creation
