After discovering the most visited monuments in the world, let's now discover the most touristic cities in the world. This ranking of the most visited cities in the world evolves, of course, each year and these figures may therefore be slightly different, especially in particular years for tourism, such as 2020.
Article updated in 2021: the figures used come from the number of tourists for the year 2019.1 - Bangkok
After London in 2011, Bangkok is now the most touristic city in the world. The Thai capital attracts nearly 22 millions of tourists every year. Bangkok is famous for its nightlife, temples, museums, shops, restaurants and also for its beaches. A tourist stays, on average, 9,5 days in Bangkok. The city is the gateway to the country which attracts in particular for its beaches, further south.
2 - Paris
Second city among the most visited cities in the world: Paris. With its four UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Paris has plenty of moments that draw the crowds. Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Pompidou Center, Louvre Museum, make Paris one of the most touristic cities in the world with nearly 20 million visitors per year. Even if Paris is particularly large, Paris is a city that can be visited on foot (or by metro).
3 – London
Dethroned by Bangkok and Paris, London is now the third most visited city in the world, and the second in Europe. London is known for its landmarks such as the London Eye on the River Thames, Big Ben, Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Madame Tussaud's Museum, etc. Organizer of the 2012 Olympic Games London is one of the most attractive cities in the world, but also one of the most expensive. She still attracts 19 million tourists.
It is common to visit London in three days, an ideal length to soak up the unique atmosphere of the city.
4 - Dubai
Growing by 11%, tourism in Dubai is booming. This represents an important part of the PID of the Emirate of Dubai. Dubai aims to become the world capital of tourism in the coming years. Notably known for its buildings, including the unmissable Burj Khalifa, its ski slope and its artificial islands, Dubai is also the “shopping capital of the Middle East”. In 2012, it welcomed nearly 10 million tourists, but a few years later, in 2019, more than 15 million tourists flocked to the city. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic will have somewhat delayed Dubai's plans since it was betting big on the postponed 2020 World Expo.
5 – Singapore
A low crime rate, an understandable language (mainly English), a very good public transport network, one of the best airlines in the world and respect for the environment make Singapore the 5th most visited city in the world with nearly 14 million visitors.
The city attracts tourists from all over the world who come to admire the city's skyscrapers but also its astonishing constructions such as the Floral Dome or the Science Center Singapore.
6 - Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's capital, and one of the most dynamic tourist cities. Every year it welcomes 13 million visitors. Its cultural diversity and affordable prices boost tourism in the city. Tourists from Singapore, Jakarta, Manila and Bangkok are the most numerous.
7 – New York
New York is the only American city in our ranking of the most touristic cities in the world. New York has nearly 13 millions of tourists. It is a very attractive city with many symbolic places, known throughout the world such as the Empire State Building, Central Park, Time Square or the Statue of Liberty.
8 – Istanbul
Named European Capital of Culture, Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey. Located between Asia and Europe, it receives every year 13 million visitors and this number is increasing year by year. Istanbul should soon join the top 5 of the most touristic cities in the world.
9 – Tokyo
Tokyo appears in this ranking of the most touristic cities in the world. Indeed the city did not appear there when we first wrote it in 2012, but in 2019 the city welcomed more than 12 million tourists. The Japanese capital is increasingly popular, especially with European travelers.
10 – Antalya
An astonishing appearance for this city located in the south of Turkey. A prominent seaside resort, the city welcomes nearly 12 million tourists in 2019.
Two cities make their appearance in this ranking of the 10 most touristic cities in the world, therefore, 2 cities in kind.
Barcelona: 17th
Barcelona, which goes from 10th to 17th place with yet an increase in the number of tourists which reaches more than 9 million visitors.
Barcelona, the second largest city in Spain, is rich in cultural heritage and is a popular tourist destination. The famous architectural works of Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Domènech i Montaner are among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Its monuments, beaches and parks have always attracted many tourists with the number one attraction, the unmissable Sagrada Familia.
Hong Kong : 20ème
Second city to leave this classification, Hong Kong, which saw the foreign tourists forsaken the city because of the many riots.
Since the 1980s tourism in Hong Kong has developed considerably. The majority of visitors come from China or Europe. The main attractions of this island are Victoria Peak, Victoria Harbour, Lan Fong Kawai and Ocean Park. Hong Kong attracts 8,7 millions of tourists per year.
Source : MasterCard.com
