Business travellers within the Asia Pacific region (APAC) most frequently visited Singapore, Tokyo, and Hong Kong in 2024, while Frankfurt, London, and San Francisco were the top intercontinental destinations.
These insights come from BCD Travel’s Cities & Trends 2025 Asia Pacific report, which analysed BCD clients’ flight and rail data from various APAC markets during the past year.
Singapore’s strategic location and vibrant economy play no small part in the city-state’s popularity among business travellers. Reciprocal visa-free policies with other countries in South-east Asia, an increase in flight seat capacity throughout the region, and an overall reduction in flight fares have contributed to Singapore’s steady growth. These attractive reforms and overall pro-business infrastructure are a win-win for both business travellers 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 10th 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 five countries
According to BCD flight data, Singapore was once again 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 US leading the way.
According to BCD flight data, the most frequently travelled routes 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 in the 10th place, moving up from its previous position at 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.
For APAC flights, most travellers (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. Travellers 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 travellers worldwide.
Rail travel
Business travellers 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 traveller’s luggage from a hotel or even a convenience store, and deliver at various 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-centre connections, and reliable scheduling, high-speed rail enables business travellers to maximise productivity while reducing their environmental impact. As businesses prioritise sustainability, encouraging rail-based business travel aligns with corporate environmental, social, and governance goals without sacrificing speed or convenience.
The full Cities & Trends APAC 2025 Report with insights about APAC business travellers can be found here.
