Where will travelers go in 2025 - Jubilee brings millions of Catholics to Rome

According to data from tourism analysis company Mabrian, Asian destinations were at the top of travel searches worldwide in the first half of 2025.

The data also shows that 2025 will be the year of full tourism recovery for Australia and New Zealand.

The study also "sees" strong demand for Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Europe.

"Sinful" Catholics Boost Rome's Tourism in 2025

Three urban hotspots in Europe, Madrid, Lisbon, and Rome, will see increased arrivals as the year progresses.

It is noted that Rome will host the 2025 Jubilee Year. According to the Vatican's organizing authority, more than 30 million pilgrims are expected in Rome throughout the Holy Year, which will end on January 6, 2026.

To the faithful who will make the pilgrimage to Rome, the Pope grants indulgences, a special grace of the Catholic Church that allows the complete remission of temporal punishments due to sins, offering a kind of spiritual "restart". In short, "sinful" Catholics around the world will take Rome's tourism by storm this year.

Top destinations in Asia

The top destinations in Asia for 2025 are:

Southeast Asia with the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam accounted for 13.5% of international demand in the first half analyzed.

East Asia, including Japan, South Korea, and China, attracted 12.6% of demand in the first half.

South Asia, home to famous destinations such as India, the Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, accounts for 6.5% of demand.

Oceania

Australia and New Zealand are the third fastest-growing regions in terms of global search share.

The Americas

North America is the fifth fastest-growing region in terms of international travel searches in the first half of the year, accounting for 5.6% of the global total, while Latin America and the Caribbean will account for 2.5% of international searches in the first half of 2025.

High demand is recorded for Los Angeles, Miami, and Orlando in the United States, Cancun in Mexico, Buenos Aires in Argentina, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic,c and San Jose in Costa Rica.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Compared to the first half of 2024, Sub-Saharan Africa also shows an increase in demand mainly driven by destinations in South Africa, particularly Cape Town or Johannesburg, along with other iconic African destinations, such as the islands of Mauritius, the Seychelles or Sal (in Cape Verde), or Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

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