JCB has published a new strategic guide titled “Asian Traveller Personas: Inspiring European Merchants to Unlock Greater Spend.”

The guide provides European merchants with insights into the spending habits and motivations of travellers from Asia, aiming to help them design services and experiences that match different consumer needs.

The launch comes as spending by Asian visitors in Europe grows significantly.

Understanding the diversity of this market can be challenging, and the guide seeks to address this by summarising cardmember data and market trends into practical information for merchants.

The guide identifies five distinct traveller personas.

The Security-Seeking Family Spender, common in the Philippines and Indonesia, prioritises safety and convenience.

Filipino cardmembers increased their in-Europe physical spend by 101% year-on-year from 2022 to 2023, and this group looks for reliable fraud prevention, contactless payments, and family-friendly services.

The Social Deal Hunter, mainly from Thailand and Indonesia, comprises digital-savvy consumers aged 20-40 who focus on flash deals and instant rewards.

Thai online spending grew by 112% YoY between 2022 and 2023, with a strong preference for app-based services.

The Premium Traveller, found across India, Taiwan and Vietnam, values travel as a status symbol and expects high-quality service.

Indian physical spend rose 641% YoY and online spend 988% YoY between 2022 and 2023. This persona prefers personalised experiences and seamless, secure payments.

The Value Gift Hunter, typical of Japanese and Korean leisure travellers, purchases thoughtful gifts abroad. Japanese physical spend increased 114% YoY from 2022 to 2023.

This group seeks clear pricing and bundle offers to make gift-buying straightforward.

The Acceptance-Driven Digital Nomad, often from South Korea and the tech diaspora, prioritises simple and fast transactions.

South Korean physical payments grew 36% YoY and online payments 34% YoY from 2022 to 2023, reflecting their preference for seamless, mobile-first payment solutions.

For each persona, the guide outlines spending triggers and potential barriers, allowing merchants to adjust their payment processes to meet specific needs.

This approach aims to support targeted strategies that encourage higher spending and foster loyalty.

“The European market is seeing unprecedented growth from Asian consumers, and to truly capitalise on this, merchants need a deep cultural and behavioural understanding,”

said Ray Shinzawa, Managing Director, JCB Europe.

“This strategic guide, built on a combination of JCB’s insights into our cardmembers’ spending patterns and wider global trends, serves as a vital blueprint. It empowers European retailers to move beyond generic approaches, enabling them to anticipate needs, personalise interactions, and ultimately support revenue growth.”

Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Switzerland, based on image by TravelScape via Freepik