However, if money was not a constraint Japan would top the list of desirable cities, followed by London.

Julienne Loh, general manager of Singapore, MasterCard Worldwide, said the expected  hotspots for leisure travel would be in the Asia Pacific region for this year.

“Nine out of 10 countries in our list of popular destinations for Singaporeans are in Asia Pacific. Singaporeans would also choose to travel to Japan over London if money was not a constraint, signalling that Singaporeans are embracing the region to discover its hidden gems.”

In terms of frequency of travel, eight in 10 Singaporeans made at least one overseas leisure trip in 2012, with a third of the survey respondents intending to make more leisure trips in 2013 than they did in the past.

Some highlights of the survey:

• More than eight in 10 undertook international travel for leisure in the past 12 months.
• Australia, followed by Hong Kong and Japan, are the most popular destinations.
• If money was not a constraint Japan followed by London tops the list of desirable destinations.
• Money and time are the main constraints to travelling more internationally among Singaporeans.
• Alcohol, followed by cosmetics and edible items/chocolates continue to be the most popular items purchased at airports.
• Mid-range hotels is the most popular type of accommodation on international travel.
• General sightseeing is the most popular activity on international trips, followed by shopping and rest and relaxation.
• Transport and accommodation take up the biggest chunks of holiday budget.