What would you say is the most visited city in the world? If you have thought of New York or a European capital, you are very wrong, since this honor corresponds to an Asian place. In fact, Asia has a lot to do with this year’s Mastercard Index Global Destination Cities.
This well-known annual ranking produced by the Mastercard company based on foreign visitors who have spent at least one night at the destination and on cross-border spending, is led by Bangkok . Spain appears twice on the list: Barcelona, which is ranked number 12; and Madrid, which is ranked 25th. Do you want to know which are the 10 most visited cities in the world? Well join us!
Bangkok, thailand
As we have just mentioned, the Mastercard classification is led by Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, which in 2016 received the visit of 20.2 million international tourists, something that is not surprising if we take into account all its attractions . Find out in our article “What to do in Bangkok”.
London, United Kingdom
The second most visited city in the world according to this global index is London, the capital of the United Kingdom, which received the visit of 20 million travelers. In this city the classic and historical mixes with the modern both in its day-to-day customs and in its buildings and monuments.
Paris France
Closing the top 3 we find another European city. It is about Paris which, despite having suffered several terrorist attacks in recent years, is still a very touristy place. In fact, last year 16.1 million tourists visited the French capital.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
In fourth position we find Dubai (16 million visitors), an Emirati city, capital of the emirate of the same name, one of the seven United Arab Emirates. It is considered one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, especially because it has a modern infrastructure.
Singapore, Singapore
13.45 million travelers visited Singapore last year. This city-state is one of the major global cities, as well as being a major hub of world trade. In fact, it is the third largest financial center in the world. It also stands out positively in education, health, political transparency and economic competitiveness.
Tokyo Japan
In sixth position in the ranking we find a Japanese city. It is Tokyo, the capital of Japan, which in 2016 was visited by 12.5 million travelers, attracted by its pop culture, its gastronomy (it is one of the best gastronomic destinations), its temples …
Seoul, South Korea
We continue in Asia to talk about Seoul, the capital of South Korea. The 12.44 million people who visited the city last year were able to see from impressive skyscrapers to Buddhist temples. Special mention should be made of the Changdeokgung Palace, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
New York, USA
The eighth most visited city in the world according to the Mastercard classification is New York (12.4 million visitors), which you already know has a lot to offer the traveler. You can discover some of its most interesting corners in our article "Essential visits in New York."
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The ninth place in the ranking is for Kuala Lumpur, which last year received the visit of 12.1 million travelers. The capital and largest city of Malaysia above all is known for its iconic Petronas Towers , which are considered the tallest twin towers on the planet.
Hong Kong, China
Finally, we must talk about Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of China, which last year was visited by 9.25 million tourists. We are talking about one of the most influential cities in Southeast Asia and one of the most densely populated regions on the planet.