This is a list of the top 100 cities ranked by the number of international visitors, including all international arrivals by land, air, and sea, for tourist or business purposes. The consulting firm Euromonitor and the financial services corporation Mastercard define the concept of the foreign visitor differently, thus their respective rankings differ.
Euromonitor counts a visitor as any person visiting a city in another country for at least 24 hours, for a period not exceeding 12 months, and staying in paid or unpaid, collective or private accommodation. Each arrival is counted separately and includes people traveling more than once a year and people visiting several cities during one trip. The growth column compares international arrivals to the previous year. [1] [2]
Mastercard Global Destinations Cities Index counts a visitor only if a person stayed overnight at least once in the city. The income column shows the amount visitors spent in each city. For cities bordering directly on foreign territory, border crossings from country to country are not counted as international visitors. [3]
The top 10 most visited cities in 2024 according to Euromonitor were: [4]
Rank | City | Country / Territory | Arrivals 2024 | Growth in arrivals |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Bangkok | Thailand | 32,400,000 | 37% |
2 | Istanbul | Turkey | 23,000,000 | 14% |
3 | London | United Kingdom | 21,700,000 | 7% |
4 | Hong Kong | Hong Kong | 20,500,000 | 19% |
5 | Mecca | Saudi Arabia | 19,300,000 | 20% |
6 | Antalya | Turkey | 19,300,000 | 17% |
7 | Dubai | United Arab Emirates | 18,200,000 | 8% |
8 | Macau | Macau | 18,000,000 | 26% |
9 | Paris | France | 17,400,000 | 2% |
10 | Kuala Lumpur | Malaysia | 16,500,000 | 73% |
The top 10 most visited cities in 2023 according to Euromonitor were: [5]
Rank | City | Country / Territory | Arrivals 2023 | Growth in arrivals |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Istanbul | Turkey | 20,200,000 | 26% |
2 | London | United Kingdom | 18,800,000 | 17% |
3 | Dubai | United Arab Emirates | 16,800,000 | 18% |
4 | Antalya | Turkey | 16,500,000 | 29% |
5 | Paris | France | 15,500,000 | 4% |
6 | Hong Kong | Hong Kong | 14,700,000 | 2,495% |
7 | Bangkok | Thailand | 12,200,000 | 142% |
8 | New York City | United States | 11,700,000 | 24% |
9 | Mecca | Saudi Arabia | 10,800,000 | 124% |
10 | Cancún | Mexico | 10,800,000 | 13% |
The 100 most visited cities in 2018/2016 according to Euromonitor and Mastercard were: [2] [3]
Rank (Euromonitor) | Rank (Mastercard) | City | Country / Territory | Arrivals 2018 (Euromonitor) | Arrivals 2016 (Mastercard) | Growth in arrivals (Euromonitor) | Income (billions $) (Mastercard) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 11 | Hong Kong | Hong Kong | 29,262,700 | 8,370,000 | 5.0% | 6.84 |
2 | 1 | Bangkok | Thailand | 24,177,500 | 21,470,000 | 7.7% | 14.84 |
3 | 2 | London | United Kingdom | 19,233,000 | 19,880,000 | −3.0% | 19.76 |
4 | Macau | Macau | 18,931,400 | 9.2% | |||
5 | 6 | Singapore | Singapore | 18,551,200 | 12,110,000 | 5.3% | 12.54 |
6 | 3 | Paris | France | 17,560,200 | 18,030,000 | 10.9% | 12.88 |
7 | 4 | Dubai | United Arab Emirates | 15,920,700 | 15,270,000 | 0.8% | 31.30 |
8 | 5 | New York City | United States | 13,600,000 | 12,750,000 | 3.8% | 18.52 |
9 | 7 | Kuala Lumpur | Malaysia | 13,434,300 | 12,020,000 | 4.6% | 11.34 |
10 | 8 | Istanbul | Turkey | 13,433,000 | 11,950,000 | 25.2% | 7.54 |
11 | 48 | Delhi | India | 12,645,300 | 2,580,000 | 24.5% | 1.91 |
12 | Antalya | Turkey | 12,438,800 | 31.2% | |||
13 | 54 | Shenzhen | China | 12,202,100 | 2,120,000 | 1.1% | 0.83 |
14 | 27 | Mumbai | India | 10,590,100 | 4,860,000 | 17.9% | 3.60 |
15 | Palma de Mallorca | Spain | 10,580,000 | 8,960,000 | |||
16 | Phuket | Thailand | 10,550,700 | 4.4% | |||
17 | 16 | Rome | Italy | 10,065,400 | 7,120,000 | 5.6% | 4.47 |
18 | 9 | Tokyo | Japan | 9,985,100 | 10,700,000 | 4.6% | 13.48 |
19 | Pattaya | Thailand | 9,606,400 | 5.1% | |||
20 | 15 | Taipei | Taiwan | 9,597,800 | 7,350,000 | 3.5% | 9.60 |
21 | Mecca | Saudi Arabia | 9,565,200 | −2.4% | |||
22 | 36 | Guangzhou | China | 9,004,800 | 3,700,000 | 0.0% | 1.66 |
23 | 20 | Prague | Czech Republic | 8,948,600 | 5,810,000 | 1.6% | 2.70 |
24 | Medina | Saudi Arabia | 8,547,200 | −2.4% | |||
25 | 10 | Seoul | South Korea | 8,431,400 | 10,200,000 | 10.1% | 11.30 |
26 | 13 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | 8,354,200 | 8,000,000 | 6.5% | 4.20 |
27 | Agra | India | 8,138,200 | 22.5% | |||
28 | 24 | Miami | United States | 8,121,300 | 5,240,000 | 4.1% | 8.15 |
29 | 17 | Osaka | Japan | 7,861,500 | 7,020,000 | 19.0% | 3.39 |
30 | Las Vegas | United States | 6,639,300 | 4.7% | |||
31 | 19 | Shanghai | China | 7,483,500 | 6,120,000 | 4.0% | 5.00 |
32 | 42 | Ho Chi Minh City | Vietnam | 7,200,000 | 3,050,000 | 15.4% | 3.12 |
33 | Denpasar | Indonesia | 7,185,600 | 15.2% | |||
34 | 12 | Barcelona | Spain | 6,714,500 | 8,200,000 | 6.8% | 9.28 |
35 | 21 | Los Angeles | United States | 6,591,300 | 5,600,000 | −1.4% | 8.10 |
36 | 14 | Milan | Italy | 6,481,300 | 7,650,000 | 2.1% | 4.56 |
37 | 30 | Chennai | India | 6,422,800 | 4,370,000 | 26.3% | 3.24 |
38 | 18 | Vienna | Austria | 6,410,300 | 6,690,000 | 3.6% | 4.54 |
39 | Johor Bahru | Malaysia | 6,396,000 | 14.8% | |||
40 | Jaipur | India | 6,383,400 | 20.7% | |||
41 | Cancún | Mexico | 6,041,000 | 0.0% | |||
42 | 26 | Berlin | Germany | 5,959,400 | 4,940,000 | 5.9% | 5.00 |
43 | Athens | Greece | 5,755,000 | 7.1% | |||
44 | Orlando | United States | 5,553,600 | 5.4% | |||
45 | 59 | Moscow | Russia | 5,510,000 | 1,830,000 | 14.8% | 0.94 |
46 | Venice | Italy | 5,502,500 | 3.5% | |||
47 | 22 | Madrid | Spain | 5,440,100 | 5,260,000 | 3.2% | 8.02 |
48 | Ha Long | Vietnam | 5,294,800 | 22.0% | |||
49 | 28 | Riyadh | Saudi Arabia | 5,267,500 | 4,590,000 | −2.4% | 1.69 |
50 | 25 | Dublin | Ireland | 5,213,400 | 4,970,000 | 4.6% | 1.87 |
51 | Florence | Italy | 5,059,900 | 2.4% | |||
52 | Jerusalem | Israel | 4,800,000 [6] | 38% | |||
53 | 52 | Hanoi | Vietnam | 4,687,000 | 2,200,000 | 9.0% | 1.28 |
54 | 29 | Toronto | Canada | 4,510,300 | 4,520,000 | 5.2% | 2.16 |
55 | 39 | Johannesburg | South Africa | 4,120,800 | 3,600,000 | 1.3% | 1.73 |
56 | 35 | Sydney | Australia | 4,090,600 | 3,750,000 | 3.2% | 6.40 |
57 | 23 | Munich | Germany | 4,066,600 | 5,250,000 | 6.2% | 5.32 |
58 | 65 | Jakarta | Indonesia | 4,033,000 | 1,550,000 | 12.4% | 1.19 |
59 | 31 | Beijing | China | 4,002,400 | 4,050,000 | 2.0% | 4.08 |
60 | 85 | Saint Petersburg | Russia | 3,996,000 | 990,000 | 11.0% | 0.51 |
61 | 45 | Brussels | Belgium | 3,942,000 | 2,710,000 | 14.9% | 1.92 |
62 | 40 | Budapest | Hungary | 3,822,800 | 3,360,000 | 4.6% | 0.95 |
63 | 40 | Naples | Italy | 3,765,000 | |||
64 | 37 | Lisbon | Portugal | 3,539,400 | 3,630,000 | 0.5% | 1.43 |
65 | Dammam | Saudi Arabia | 3,498,900 | −2.4% | |||
66 | Penang Island | Malaysia | 3,437,100 | 7.6% | |||
67 | Heraklion | Greece | 3,371,800 | 7.1% | |||
68 | Kyoto | Japan | 3,294,200 | 3.0% | |||
69 | Zhuhai | China | 3,259,700 | 2.4% | |||
70 | 34 | Vancouver | Canada | 3,212,100 | 3,900,000 | 7.1% | 2.12 |
71 | Chiang Mai | Thailand | 3,196,000 | 2.1% | |||
72 | 64 | Copenhagen | Denmark | 3,069,700 | 1,630,000 | 3.6% | 0.91 |
73 | 33 | San Francisco | United States | 2,901,000 | 3,930,000 | 0.0% | 5.93 |
74 | 47 | Melbourne | Australia | 2,889,000 | 2,650,000 | 5.8% | 4.94 |
75 | 70 | Warsaw | Poland | 2,850,000 | 1,370,000 | 1.8% | 0.51 |
76 | Marrakesh | Morocco | 2,838,100 | 6.3% | |||
77 | 62 | Kolkata | India | 2,826,500 | 1,720,000 | 10.4% | 1.27 |
78 | Cebu City | Philippines | 2,805,100 | 24.9% | |||
79 | Auckland | New Zealand | 2,798,900 | 5.0% | |||
80 | 86 | Tel Aviv | Israel | 2,777,000 | 990,000 | 7.9% | 1.31 |
81 | Guilin | China | 2,747,000 | 10.4% | |||
82 | Honolulu | United States | 2,737,300 | 1.9% | |||
83 | Hurghada | Egypt | 2,735,700 | 46.8% | |||
84 | Kraków | Poland | 2,732,000 | 3.9% | |||
85 | Muğla | Turkey | 2,723,800 | 37.4% | |||
86 | 57 | Buenos Aires | Argentina | 2,685,700 | 2,020,000 | 5.2% | 1.69 |
87 | Chiba | Japan | 2,683,900 | 10.4% | |||
88 | 38 | Frankfurt am Main | Germany | 2,636,000 | 3,620,000 | 5.6% | 3.67 |
89 | 55 | Stockholm | Sweden | 2,604,600 | 2,080,000 | 5.3% | 1.68 |
90 | 32 | Lima | Peru | 2,535,400 | 4,030,000 | 8.0% | 1.44 |
91 | Da Nang | Vietnam | 2,505,000 | 25.0% | |||
92 | Batam | Indonesia | 2,492,600 | 11.9% | |||
93 | Nice | France | 2,466,800 | 6.0% | |||
94 | Fukuoka | Japan | 2,436,900 | 20.3% | |||
95 | 41 | Abu Dhabi | United Arab Emirates | 2,402,800 | 3,140,000 | 7.1% | 2.65 |
96 | Jeju | South Korea | 2,349,200 | −3.3% | |||
97 | Porto | Portugal | 2,341,300 | 4.9% | |||
98 | Rhodes | Greece | 2,337,700 | 7.3% | |||
99 | 71 | Rio de Janeiro | Brazil | 2,278,300 | 1,370,000 | 1.2% | 0.97 |
100 | Krabi | Thailand | 2,255,300 | 6.5% | |||
97 | Bangalore | India | 2,239,200 | 740,000 | 25.7% | 0.55 | |
43 | Mexico City | Mexico | 2,980,000 | 2.27 | |||
44 | Punta Cana | Dominican Republic | 2,730,000 | 2.95 | |||
49 | São Paulo | Brazil | 2,300,000 | 1.50 | |||
50 | Zürich | Switzerland | 2,240,000 | 2.23 | |||
51 | Montreal | Canada | 2,240,000 | 1.08 | |||
53 | Washington D.C. | United States | 2,180,000 | 2.54 | |||
56 | Chicago | United States | 2,080,000 | 2.95 | |||
58 | Düsseldorf | Germany | 1,950,000 | 1.98 | |||
60 | Boston | United States | 1,740,000 | 2.18 | |||
61 | Chengdu | China | 1,740,000 | 0.60 | |||
63 | Edinburgh | United Kingdom | 1,660,000 | 1.13 | |||
64 | San Jose | United States | 1,630,000 | 0.86 | |||
68 | Tehran | Iran | 1,520,000 | 0.31 | |||
69 | Houston | United States | 1,500,000 | 2.48 | |||
72 | Hamburg | Germany | 1,450,000 | 1.47 | |||
73 | Cape Town | South Africa | 1,370,000 | 1.00 | |||
74 | Manila | Philippines | 1,320,000 | 0.98 | |||
75 | Bogota | Colombia | 1,260,000 | 1.35 | |||
76 | Xi'an | China | 1,210,000 | 0.63 | |||
77 | Beirut | Lebanon | 1,160,000 | 1.12 | |||
78 | Geneva | Switzerland | 1,150,000 | 1.14 | |||
79 | Colombo | Sri Lanka | 1,130,000 | 0.95 | |||
80 | Xiamen | China | 1,090,000 | 0.93 | |||
81 | Bucharest | Romania | 1,050,000 | 0.31 | |||
82 | Casablanca | Morocco | 1,050,000 | 0.62 | |||
83 | Atlanta | United States | 1,020,000 | 1.47 | |||
84 | Sofia | Bulgaria | 1,010,000 | 0.44 | |||
87 | Dalian | China | 940,000 | 0.55 | |||
88 | Montevideo | Uruguay | 930,000 | 0.55 | |||
89 | Amman | Jordan | 930,000 | 0.94 | |||
90 | Hangzhou | China | 900,000 | 0.43 | |||
91 | Pune | India | 900,000 | 0.66 | |||
92 | Durban | South Africa | 830,000 | 0.29 | |||
93 | Dallas | United States | 780,000 | 1.13 | |||
94 | Accra | Ghana | 760,000 | 0.53 | |||
95 | Quito | Ecuador | 750,000 | 0.42 | |||
96 | Tianjin | China | 750,000 | 2.24 | |||
98 | Qingdao | China | 730,000 | 0.53 | |||
100 | Lagos | Nigeria | 710,000 | 0.16 |
Tourism in Turkey is focused largely on a variety of historical sites, and on seaside resorts along its Aegean and Mediterranean Sea coasts. Turkey has also become a popular destination for culture, spa, and health care. Since 2021, Turkey is the fourth most visited country in the world.
Tourism in Israel is a major economic sector and a significant source of national income. Israel offers a plethora of historical and religious sites, beach resorts, natural sites, archaeological tourism, heritage tourism, adventure tourism, and ecotourism. For practical reasons, this article also covers tourism in the West Bank and the Golan Heights, since it is closely interconnected with the mass tourism in Israel. In 2019, Israel saw a record 4.55 million tourist arrivals, with tourism contributing NIS 20 billion to the national economy in 2017.
Tourism in Dubai is a major part of the economy of Dubai. Dubai was the third most visited city in the world in 2023 with 17 million international visitors according to Euromonitor International. Dubai hosts more than 800 hotels with more than 150,000 rooms.
Tourism is the largest industry in Nepal and its largest source of foreign exchange and revenue. Home to eight of the ten highest mountains in the world, Nepal is a destination for mountaineers, rock climbers and adventure seekers. The Hindu and Buddhist heritages of Nepal and its cool weather are also strong attractions.
New York City received a ninth consecutive annual record of approximately 65.2 million tourists in 2018, the busiest tourist city attraction, and one of the world's overall busiest tourist attractions, counting not just overnight visitors but anyone visiting for the day from over 50 miles away, including commuters. Overall the city welcomed 37.9 million visitors who stayed overnight in 2018, of whom 13.6 million were international. Major destinations include the Empire State Building, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island, Broadway theatre productions, Central Park, Times Square, Coney Island, the Financial District, museums, and sports stadiums. Other major visitor activities include luxury shopping along Fifth and Madison Avenues; entertainment events such as the Tribeca Film Festival; Randalls Island music festivals such as Governors Ball, Panorama and Electric Zoo; and free performances in Central Park at Summerstage and Delacorte Theater. Many New York City ethnic enclaves, such as Jackson Heights, Flushing, and Brighton Beach are major shopping destinations for first and second generation Americans.
Tourism is an economic contributor to the Kingdom of Thailand. Estimates of tourism revenue directly contributing to the GDP of 12 trillion baht range from one trillion baht (2013) 2.53 trillion baht (2016), the equivalent of 9% to 17.7% of GDP. When including indirect travel and tourism receipts, the 2014 total is estimated to be the equivalent of 19.3% of Thailand's GDP. According to the secretary-general of the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council in 2019, projections indicate the tourism sector will account for 30% of GDP by 2030, up from 20% in 2019, Thailand expects to receive 80 million visitors in 2027.
Tourism in China is a growing industry that is becoming a significant part of the Chinese economy. The rate of tourism has expanded over the last few decades since the beginning of reform and opening-up. The emergence of a newly rich middle class and an easing of restrictions on movement by the Chinese authorities are both fueling this travel boom. China has become one of world's largest outbound tourist markets. According to Euromonitor International, economic growth and higher incomes in nearby Asian countries will help China to become the world's number one tourist destination by 2030.
Tourism is a growing sector and key to the economy of several regions of Brazil. The country had 6.589 million visitors in 2018, ranking in terms of the international tourist arrivals as the second main destination in South America after Argentina and third in Latin America after Mexico and Argentina. Revenues from international tourists reached US$5.8 billion in 2015, continuing a recovery trend from the 2008–2009 economic crisis.
Tourism in Taiwan is one of the major industries and contributor to the economy of Taiwan. In 2022, Taiwan received under 900,000 international visitors, down from 11.8 million in 2019. Tourism affairs are managed by the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications of Taiwan.
The World Tourism rankings are compiled by the United Nations World Tourism Organization as part of their World Tourism Barometer publication, which is released up to six times per year. In the publication, destinations are ranked by the number of international visitor arrivals, by the revenue generated by inbound tourism, and by the expenditure of outbound travelers.
Tourism in Vietnam is a component of the modern Vietnamese economy. In 2019, Vietnam received 18 million international arrivals, up from 2.1 million in the year 2000. The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism is following a long-term plan to diversify the tourism industry, which brings foreign exchange into the country.
Tourism in Morocco is well developed, maintaining a strong tourist industry focused on the country's coast, culture, and history. The Moroccan government created a Ministry of Tourism in 1985. Tourism is considered one of the main foreign exchange sources in Morocco and since 2013 it had the highest number of arrivals out of the countries in Africa. In 2018, 12.3 million tourists were reported to have visited Morocco.
Tourism in Armenia has been a key sector to the Armenian economy since the 1990s when tourist numbers exceeded half a million people visiting the country every year. The Armenian Ministry of Economy reports that most international tourists come from Russia, EU states, the United States and Iran. Though relatively small in size, Armenia has four UNESCO world heritage sites.
The tourist attractions of Vienna concentrate in three distinct areas. The largest cluster, centred on Schönbrunn Palace, attracted around five million visitors in 2009, down from six million in 2008. Museums and exhibitions of Hofburg Palace accounted for nearly two million visitors in 2008, with a significant decline in 2009. The third, and the newest, cluster of modern art museums in Museumsquartier attracted less than one million visitors. Nearby duo of Kunsthistorisches and Naturhistorisches museums, located halfway between Museumsquartier and Hofburg, also reported around one million visitors. The Landstraße district, which lies south-east of the old city, is home to art exhibitions at the Belvedere Palace and the KunstHausWien.
The Henley Passport Index is a global ranking of countries according to the travel freedom allowed by those countries' ordinary passports for their citizens. It was launched in 2005 as Henley & Partners Visa Restrictions Index and was updated to Henley Passport Index in January 2018.
International tourism is tourism that crosses national borders. Globalisation has made tourism a popular global leisure activity. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes". The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that up to 500,000 people are in flight at any one time.
Tourism in Mumbai (Bombay) is an industry that attracts almost 6 million tourists per year, making it the 30th-most visited location worldwide. According to United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai was the second most populous city in India after Delhi and the seventh most populous city in the world with a population of 19.98 million.
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the tourism industry due to the resulting travel restrictions as well as slump in demand among travelers. The tourism industry has been massively affected by the spread of coronavirus, as many countries have introduced travel restrictions in an attempt to contain its spread. The United Nations World Tourism Organization estimated that global international tourist arrivals could have decreased by 58% to 78% in 2020, leading to a potential loss of US $0.9–1.2 trillion in international tourism receipts.