Visa Report Shows Sharp Rise in Pakistan Ramadan Spending

Consumer spending in Pakistan rose sharply this Ramadan. Eid Al-Fitr also saw a major spending surge. Therefore, retail, food, and travel all benefited.
Visa released the report on Wednesday. It captures shifting consumer behavior during Pakistan’s busiest shopping period. Inflation pressures are easing, and digital payments are expanding.

Premium Card Spending Jumps 80%

Spending on Visa premium cards increased by 80% year-on-year. The growth happened during Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr. Consequently, both inbound visitor activity and local spending sustained momentum.
Umar S. Khan is Visa’s country manager for Pakistan. He says the period saw higher spending across travel and retail categories. Therefore, consumer sentiment is clearly improving.

International and Outbound Travel Rise

Spending by international visitors using Visa premium cards rose 30%. Travelers came from Saudi Arabia, Canada, Ireland, Turkiye, and Italy. Consequently, Pakistan remains an attractive destination.
Outbound travel spending by Pakistani consumers increased by around 35%. Spending to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and the UK rose 55%. Most travelers booked trips closer to departure dates.
Seventy percent of travel was booked within one month of departure. Therefore, last-minute planning is now the norm.

Ramadan Shopping Habits Shift

Grocery spending increased by 25% in the week before Ramadan. That was compared to the previous week. During Ramadan itself, spending activity shifted to nighttime hours.
Post-Iftar spending between 9pm and 11pm rose 30%. Pre-Sehri spending between midnight and 4am surged 85%. Therefore, night-time commerce is booming.

Eid Al-Fitr Spending Peaks

Consumer spending peaked around Eid Al-Fitr. Overall spending during the March 16–19 holiday period increased 10% compared to preceding days. Retail spending during Eid rose 40%.
Spending on food and quick-service restaurants increased 15%. Visa based this data on spending trends from February 20 to March 20. The report used VisaNet transaction data and survey-based estimates.
In conclusion, Pakistan’s economy is showing signs of stabilization. Consumer sentiment is improving. The Ramadan and Eid period proved to be a major spending event.