Global digital payments leader Visa and the Department of Tourism (DOT) have formalized a partnership to accelerate digital transformation in the Philippine tourism sector.

In a ceremony on Thursday at the DOT Central Office in Makati City, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco and Visa Regional Head for Southeast Asia, Visa Government Solutions, Bella Lai, signed the partnership.

According to Visa, the initiative aims to drive digital payment adoption in key tourist destinations, support micro, small, and medium enterprises, and enhance data-driven tourism planning.

For travelers, it promises more seamless and secure digital payments; for local businesses, tools to scale and compete; and for communities, access to insights and digital skills—creating a more connected, inclusive tourism experience and supporting sustainable tourism growth.

Under the Memorandum of Understanding, Visa and the DOT will collaborate on initiatives using data insights to improve tourism planning, accelerate digital payment adoption, and build digital skills across tourism communities nationwide.

Tourism contributed 8.9 percent to the country’s gross domestic product and 13.8 percent of total employment in 2024.

Visa has supported governments and tourism authorities worldwide to boost digital payment acceptance and data-based tourism planning. In Mexico, Visa’s collaboration helped increase adoption among small merchants in tourist destinations, with 3.9 million small merchants now accepting digital payments. In Japan, Visa partnered with the Osaka Prefecture and Osaka Tourism Bureau to conduct a market analysis supporting the government’s target to achieve a 40 percent cashless payment ratio by 2025.

Visa’s 2023 Global Travel Intentions Study shows that 97 percent of travelers across Asia Pacific plan to bring debit, prepaid, and credit cards on their trips, while only 17 percent intend to bring foreign currency.

Jeffrey Navarro, Country Manager for Visa Philippines, said the partnership aligns with the government’s vision of a cash-lite society and reflects Visa’s commitment to strengthening the tourism sector.

“By enabling seamless and secure digital payments for travelers, empowering small businesses to thrive, and advancing digital and financial inclusion, we aim to create a stronger, more resilient tourism sector. Through data-driven insights and collaboration, we’re helping to build an ecosystem where every stakeholder can participate in the digital economy and contribute to sustainable tourism growth,” he said.

“For her part, Secretary Frasco expressed appreciation for the collaboration. “In behalf of the DoT, we express our gratitude to Visa. This is a clear vote of confidence in Philippine tourism that they have recognized the momentum of growth in the Philippines and that they are partnering with us to empower our destinations, as well as our tourism stakeholders. We can use Visa’s influence in terms of promoting the Philippines to the world,” she said.