 | This article needs to be updated.(February 2023) |
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.
In 2023 there were 1.3 billion international tourists, with a growth of 33.4% compared to 2022 and growth of 112.2% compared to 2021. [1] The top 10 international tourism destinations in 2023 were: [2] [3]
| Rank | Destination | International tourist arrivals (2023) [4] | International tourist arrivals (2022) [3] | Change (2022 to 2023) (%) | Change (2021 to 2022) (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  France | 100 million | 79.4 million |  25.9 | 64 |
| 2 |  Spain | 85.2 million | 71.7 million | 18.8 | 130 |
| 3 |  United States | 66.5 million | 50.9 million | 30.6 | 130 |
| 4 |  Italy | 57.2 million | 49.8 million | 14.8 | 85 |
| 5 |  Turkey | 55.2 million | 50.5 million | 9.3 | 69 |
| 6 |  Mexico | 42.2 million | 38.3 million | 10.1 | 20 |
| 7 |  United Kingdom | 37.2 million | 30.7 million | 21.1 | 389 |
| 8 |  Germany | 34.8 million | 28.5 million | 22.1 | 144 |
| 9 |  Greece | 32.7 million | 27.8 million | 17.6 | 89 |
| 10 |  Austria | 30.9 million | 26.2 million | 17.9 | 106 |
In 2019, there were 69.9 million international tourist arrivals to Africa (excluding Egypt and Libya), an increase of 2.4% from 2018. [5] According to the World Economic forum's Travel & Tourism Development report in 2024, Morocco is the country most dependent on travel and tourism among all countries in MENA region [6] . South Africa takes the lead in the Tourism and Development ranking in all of Africa [6] , the top ten African destinations by quality of tourism were:
| Rank Internationally [6] | Rank in Africa | Destination | Score [7] | Change of Rank from 2019 to 2024 [6] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 61 | 3 |  Egypt | 3.96 | +5 |
| 82 | 7 |  Morocco | 3.64 |  -12 |
| 55 | 1 |  South Africa | 3.99 | +7 |
| 83 | 8 |  Tunisia | 3.60 | +2 |
| 98 | 10 |  Algeria | 3.42 | +2 |
| 110 | 14 |  Zimbabwe | 3.19 | 0 |
| 114 | 15 |  Ivory Coast | 3.13 | +2 |
| 77 | 5 |  Kenya | 3.68 | -1 |
| 75 | 4 |  Botswana | 3.71 | +6 |
| 57 | 2 |  Mauritius | 3.98 | -4 |
| 81 | 6 |  Tanzania | 3.65 | +7 |
| 93 | 9 |  Rwanda | 3.45 | +6 |
| 104 | 11 |  Zambia | 3.45 | -2 |
| 106 | 12 |  Ghana | 3.28 | +1 |
| 107 | 13 |  Senegal | 3.24 | +2 |
The following table compiles estimated number of tourists for each country in Africa in 2018 and 2019, the top ten African destinations were :
| Rank | Destination | Travel & Tourism Development Index ranking 2024 [7] | International tourist arrivals (2019) [5] | International tourist arrivals (2018) [5] | Change (2018 to 2019) (%) | Change (2017 to 2018) (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Egypt | 61 | 13.0 million | 11.3 million | 14.8 | 36.8 | |
| 2 | Morocco | 82 | 12.9 million | 12.3 million | 5.2 | 8.3 | |
| 3 | South Africa | 55 | 10.2 million | 10.5 million | 2.3 | 1.8 | |
| 4 | Tunisia | 83 | 9.4 million | 8.3 million | 13.6 | 17.7 | |
| 5 | Algeria | 98 | 2.4 million | 2.7 million | 10.8 | 8.4 | |
| 6 | Zimbabwe | 110 | 2.3 million | 2.6 million | 10.8 | 5.9 | |
| 7 |  Mozambique | - | 2.0 million | 2.7 million | 26.4 | 89.6 | |
| 8 | Ivory Coast | 114 | – | 2.0 million | - | 9.2 | |
| 9 | Kenya | 77 | – | 1.9 million | - | 15.4 | |
| 10 | Botswana | 75 | – | 1.7 million | - | 2.0 | |
| Note: Egypt and Libya are classified under "Middle East" in the UNWTO. [8] | |||||||
In 2022, there were 156.2 million international tourist arrivals to the Americas, an increase of 90.9%. [5] In 2022, the top ten destinations were:
| Rank | Destination | International tourist arrivals (2022) [5] | International tourist arrivals (2021) [5] | Change (2021 to 2022) (%) | Change (2020 to 2021) (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 50.8 million | 22.2 million | 128.8 | 15.6 |
| 2 | Mexico | 38.3 million | 31.8 million | 20.4 | 31.4 |
| 3 |  Canada | 12.8 million | 3.0 million | 326.6 | 3.4 |
| 4 |  Dominican Republic | 6.9 million | 4.9 million | 40.8 | 104.1 |
| 5 |  Colombia | 4.5 million | 2.1 million | 114.2 | 74.9 |
| 6 |  Argentina | 3.8 million | 0.3 million | 1196.6 | 85.6 |
| 7 |  Brazil | 3.6 million | 0.7 million | 386.5 | 65.2 |
| 8 |  Jamaica | 2.4 million | 1.4 million | 71.4 | 66.3 |
| 9 |  Uruguay | 2.4 million | 0.2 million | 962.4 | 74.9 |
| 10 |  Peru | 2.0 million | 0.4 million | 452.2 | 20.1 |
In 2019, there were 360.7 million international tourist arrivals to Asia-Pacific, an increase of 4.1% over 2018. [5] In 2019, the top ten destinations were:
| Rank | Destination | International tourist arrivals (2023) [9] | International tourist arrivals (2019) [5] | International tourist arrivals (2018) [5] | Change (2018 to 2019) (%) | Change (2017 to 2018) (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  China | 35.3 million [10] | 65.7 million | 62.9 million | 4.5 | 3.6 |
| 2 |  Thailand | 28.15 million | 39.8 million | 38.2 million | 4.3 | 7.3 |
| 3 |  Japan | 25.07 million | 32.2 million | 31.2 million | 3.2 | 8.7 |
| 4 |  Malaysia | 26.1 million | 25.8 million | 1.0 | 0.4 | |
| 5 |  Hong Kong | 23.8 million | 29.3 million | 18.8 | 4.9 | |
| 6 |  Macau | 18.6 million | 18.5 million | 0.8 | 7.2 | |
| 7 |  Vietnam | 18.0 million | 15.5 million | 16.2 | 19.9 | |
| 8 |  India | 17.9 million | 17.4 million | 2.8 | 12.1 | |
| 9 |  South Korea | 17.5 million | 15.3 million | 14.0 | 15.1 | |
| 10 |  Indonesia | 15.5 million | 13.4 million | 15.4 | 3.5 |
In 2022, there were 594.5 million international tourist arrivals to Europe, an increase of 95% over 2021. [5] Top 10 destinations of the last four years were:
| Rank | Destination | International tourist arrivals (2022) [3] | International tourist arrivals (2021) [3] | International tourist arrivals (2020) [5] | International tourist arrivals (2019) [5] | Change (2021 to 2022) (%) | Change (2020 to 2021) (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | ― | 48.4 million | 41.7 million | 90.9 million | — | 16.1 |
| 2 | Spain | 71.7 million | 31.2 million | 18.9 million | 83.5 million | 130 | 64.7 |
| 3 | Turkey | 50.5 million | 29.9 million | 15.9 million | 51.2 million | 69 | 88.3 |
| 4 | Italy | 49.8 million | 26.9 million | 25.2 million | 64.5 million | 85 | 6.7 |
| 5 | United Kingdom | ― | 6.3 million | 10.7 million | 39.4 million | ― | 41.3 |
| 6 | Germany | 28.5 million | 11.7 million | 12.4 million | 39.6 million | 144 | 6.1 |
| 7 | Greece | 27.8 million | 14.7 million | 7.4 million | 31.3 million | 89 | 99.4 |
| 8 | Austria | 26.2 million | 12.7 million | 15.1 million | 31.9 million | 106 | 15.7 |
| 9 |  Portugal | ― | 9.6 million | 6.5 million | 24.5 million | ― | 48.4 |
| 10 |  Netherlands | 15.9 million | 6.2 million | 7.3 million | 20.1 million | 155 | 14.0 |
In 2019, there were 61.4 million international tourist arrivals to West Asia (excluding Iran and Israel), an increase of 2.1% over 2018. In 2019, the top ten destinations were:
| Rank | Destination | International tourist arrivals (2023) [9] | International tourist arrivals (2019) [5] | International tourist arrivals (2018) [5] | Change (2018 to 2019) (%) | Change (2017 to 2018) (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Saudi Arabia | 27 million | 17.5 million | 15.5 million | 13.0 | 3.7 |
| 2 |  United Arab Emirates | 16.7 million | 15.9 million | 5.1 | 0.8 | |
| 3 | Egypt | 13.0 million | 11.3 million | 14.8 | 36.8 | |
| 4 |  Iran | 9.1 million | 7.3 million | 24.4 | 49.9 | |
| 5 |  Israel | 4.6 million | 4.1 million | 10.5 | 14.1 | |
| 6 |  Jordan | 4.5 million | 4.2 million | 8.1 | 8.0 | |
| 7 |  Bahrain | 3.8 million | 4.4 million | 11.8 | 0.2 | |
| 8 |  Oman | 2.5 million | 2.3 million | 8.6 | 0.6 | |
| 9 |  Qatar | 2.1 million | 1.8 million | 17.4 | 19.4 | |
| 10 |  Lebanon | 1.9 million | 2.0 million | 1.4 | 5.8 | |
| Note: Iran is classified as part of "South Asia" in the UNWTO. [8] Israel is classified as part of "Southern/Medit.Europe" in the UNWTO. [8] | ||||||
International tourism receipts are the earnings a country makes from foreign visitors' spending on goods and services during their stay, such as expenditures accommodation, food and drink, and shopping. International tourism receipts reached USD 1 trillion in 2022, growing 50% in real terms compared to 2021, driven by the important rebound in international travel. [5] The World Tourism Organization reports the following destinations as the top ten tourism earners for the year 2022, with the United States by far the top earner.
| Rank | Region | International tourism receipts (US$ billion) | International tourism receipts (US$ billion) | Change (local currency) (2022 to 2023) (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 175.9 | 135.2 | 30.1% |
| 2 | Spain | 92.0 | 72.9 | 26.2% |
| 3 | United Kingdom | 73.9 | 68.2 | 8.3% |
| 4 | France | 68.6 | 59.7 | 14.9% |
| 5 | Italy | 55.9 | 44.3 | 26.1% |
| 6 | United Arab Emirates | 51.9 | ― | ― |
| 7 | Turkey | 49.5 | 41.2 | 21.3% |
| 8 |  Australia | 46.6 | ― | ― |
| 9 | Canada | 39.2 | 24.0 | 63.3% |
| 10 | Japan | 38.6 | ― | ― |
| Rank | Region | International tourism receipts (US$ million) (2019) [5] |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Egypt | 13,030 |
| 2 | South Africa | 8,384 |
| 3 | Morocco | 8,179 |
| 4 | Tanzania | 2,605 |
| 5 | Tunisia | 2,116 |
| 6 | Mauritius | 1,779 |
| 7 |  Uganda | 1,463 |
| 8 |  Nigeria | 1,449 |
| 9 | Ghana | 1,425 |
| 10 | Kenya | 1,072* |
| Note: Number for Kenya is for 2018. | ||
| Rank | Region | International tourism receipts (US$ million) (2019) [5] |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 214,134 |
| 2 | Canada | 28,012 |
| 3 | Mexico | 24,573 |
| 4 | Dominican Republic | 7,468 |
| 5 | Brazil | 5,995 |
| 6 | Colombia | 5,652 |
| 7 | Argentina | 5,241 |
| 8 |  Panama | 4,521 |
| 9 |  Bahamas | 4,126 |
| 10 |  Costa Rica | 4,010 |
| Rank | Region | International tourism receipts (US$ million) (2019) [5] |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thailand | 60,521 |
| 2 | Japan | 46,054 |
| 3 | Australia | 45,709 |
| 4 | Macau | 40,060 |
| 5 | China | 35,832 |
| 6 | India | 30,720 |
| 7 | Hong Kong | 29,043 |
| 8 | South Korea | 21,628 |
| 9 |  Singapore | 20,052 |
| 10 | Malaysia | 19,823 |
| Rank | Region | International tourism receipts (US$ billion) (2022) [5] |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spain | 72,9 |
| 2 | United Kingdom | 68,2 |
| 3 | France | 59,7 |
| 4 | Italy | 44,3 |
| 5 | Turkey | 41,2 |
| 6 | Germany | 31,5 |
| 7 | Portugal | 22,2 |
| 8 | Austria | 19,2 |
| 9 | Greece | 18,6 |
| 10 |  Switzerland | 16,2 |
| Rank | Region | International tourism receipts (US$ million) (2019) [5] |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | United Arab Emirates | 21,800 |
| 2 | Saudi Arabia | 16,382 |
| 3 | Egypt | 13,030 |
| 4 | Lebanon | 8,593 |
| 5 | Israel | 7,600 |
| 6 | Jordan | 5,786 |
| 7 | Qatar | 5,442 |
| 8 | Iran | 4,402* |
| 9 | Bahrain | 3,681 |
| 10 |  Iraq | 3,593 |
| Note: Number for Iran is for 2017. | ||
The World Tourism Organization reports the following source markets as the top ten spenders on international tourism for the year 2022 and 2023, with China and the United States by far being the top spender:
| Rank | Country | International tourism expenditure (2023) [4] | International tourism expenditure (2022) [3] | Change (local currency) (2021 to 2022) (%) [3] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | $196.5 billion | $114.8 billion | 71.1% |
| 2 | United States | $150.0 billion | $114.9 billion | 30.5% |
| 3 | Germany | $111.9 billion | $89.4 billion | 25.1% |
| 4 | United Kingdom | $110.3 billion | ― | ― |
| 5 | France | $49.0 billion | $47.7 billion | 2.7% |
| 6 | Canada | $38.3 billion | $24.4 billion | 56.9% |
| 7 | Italy | $34.2 billion | $26.5 billion | 29% |
| 8 | India | $33.3 billion | $25.9 billion | 28.5% |
| 9 |  Russia | $33.0 billion | ― | ― |
| 10 | South Korea | $27.8 billion | ― | ― |
Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as being limited to holiday activity only", as people "travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure and not less than 24 hours, business and other purposes". Tourism can be domestic or international, and international tourism has both incoming and outgoing implications on a country's balance of payments.
UN Tourism is a specialized agency of the United Nations which promotes responsible, sustainable and universally-accessible tourism. Its headquarters are in Madrid, Spain. Other offices include: a Regional Support Office for Asia and the Pacific in Nara, Japan and a Regional Office for the Middle East in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Tourism in Japan is a major industry and contributor to the Japanese economy. Foreigners visit Japan to see natural wonders, cities, historic landmarks, and entertainment venues. Japanese people seek similar attractions, as well as recreation and vacation areas. In 2019, Japan attracted 31.88 million international tourists. Japan welcomed 2.78 million visitor arrivals in February 2024, surpassing 2019 levels.
Tourism in Australia is an important part of the Australian economy, and comprises domestic and international visitors. Australia is the fortieth most visited country in the world according to the World Tourism Organization. In the financial year 2018/19, tourism was Australia's fourth-largest export and over the previous decade was growing faster than national GDP growth. At the time it represented 3.1% of Australia's GDP contributing A$60.8 billion to the national economy.
Germany is the eighth-most-visited country in the world, with a total of 407.26 million overnights during 2012. This number includes 68.83 million nights by foreign visitors, the majority of foreign tourists in 2009 coming from the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. Additionally, more than 30% of Germans spend their holiday in their own country. According to Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Reports, Germany is ranked 3 out of 136 countries in the 2017 report, and is rated as one of the safest travel destinations worldwide.
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 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 Cyprus occupies a dominant position in the country's economy, and has significantly impacted its culture and multicultural development throughout the years. In 2006, the tourism industry made up 10.7% of the country's GDP and the total employment in the tourism industry was estimated at 113,000 jobs. With a usual minimum of around 4 million tourist arrivals per year, it is the 40th most popular destination in the world and the 6th most popular per capita of local population. Cyprus has been a full member of the World Tourism Organization since 1975.
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 Costa Rica has been one of the fastest growing economic sectors of the country and by 1995 became the largest foreign exchange earner. Since 1999, tourism has earned more foreign exchange than bananas, pineapples and coffee exports combined. The tourism boom began in 1987, with the number of visitors up from 329,000 in 1988, through 1.03 million in 1999, over 2 million in 2008, to a historical record of 2.66 million foreign visitors in 2015. In 2012, tourism contributed with 12.5% of the country's GDP and it was responsible for 11.7% of direct and indirect employment. In 2009, tourism attracted 17% of foreign direct investment inflows, and 13% in average between 2000 and 2009. In 2010, the tourism industry was responsible for 21.2% of foreign exchange generated by all exports. According to a 2007 report by ECLAC, tourism contributed to a reduction in poverty of 3% in the country.
Tourism is one of the leading sources of income, crucial to Egypt's economy. At its peak in 2010, the sector employed about 12% of workforce of Egypt, serving approximately 14.7 million visitors to Egypt, and providing revenues of nearly $12.5 billion as well as contributing more than 11% of GDP and 14.4% of foreign currency revenues.
The tourism assets of Mozambique include the country's natural environment, wildlife, and cultural heritage, which provide opportunities for beach, cultural, and eco-tourism.
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 Mauritius is an important component of the Mauritian economy as well as a significant source of its foreign exchange revenues. The tourism industry is also a major economic pillar on the island of Rodrigues; however, tourism has not been developed in Agaléga Islands. Mauritius is mostly appreciated by tourists for its natural environment and man-made attractions, the multi-ethnic and cultural diversity of the population, the tropical climate, beaches and water sports.
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.
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.
Overtourism is congestion or overcrowding from an excess of tourists, resulting in conflicts with locals. The World Tourism Organization defines overtourism as "the impact of tourism on a destination, or parts thereof, that excessively influences perceived quality of life of citizens and/or quality of visitor experiences in a negative way". This definition shows how overtourism can be observed both among locals, who view tourism as a disruptive factor that increasingly burdens daily life, as well as visitors, who may regard high numbers of tourists as a nuisance.
Tourism in the United Arab Emirates is an important part of the Emirati economy. In 2023, the tourism sector employed 809,300 people and contributed 220 billion dirham to the national gross domestic product (GDP), accounting for 12% of it. In 2024, the UAE was the 6th destination globally by international tourism receipts according to the World Tourism rankings, and it ranked 18th globally in the Travel and Tourism Development Index.
