We profile some usual suspects plus one or two surprises in the top 10 most visited countries in the world
Have you dreamed of a romantic kiss atop the Eiffel Tower? Perhaps you’ve thrown a wish into the Trevi Fountain or stopped and stared at the Sistine Chapel. If so, you’re certainly not alone.
According to the last available pre-pandemic figures, France and Italy are two of the most visited countries in the world. Together with the rest of the top 10, they make up a whopping 41% of global tourist arrivals (i.e. overnight visitors). Here’s the complete list of the most visited countries in the world.
10 most visited countries in the world
The below figures come from the 2020 edition of the UNWTO’s International Tourism Highlights report.
1. France
Arrivals: 89.4 million (2018)
Change: 2.9% (year on year)
It’s fair to say that there has been a long-standing rivalry between the French and the British, partly because we Brits think we’re better than them (deep down, we know we’re not).
In both joie de vivre and savoire faire, in culture, couture and cuisine, our Gallic cousins outclass us consistently – and why wouldn’t they? Their impeccable taste coupled with a natural hauteur lends them an inimitable sophistication. It’s this je ne se quois perhaps that keeps tourists coming to this land of romance – a whopping 89.4 million of them a year.
2. Spain
Arrivals: 83.5 million (2019)
Change: 0.8%
Good food, good wine, amazing architecture and the ebullient nature of the natives are just some of the reasons why people flock to Spain (and subsequently get exhausted by the Spaniards… did we mention they’re ebullient?).
Spain is a popular destination not only for all the above but also as a place of worship. Camino de Santiago, a network of paths leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, is popular not only with pilgrims but also with hikers, cyclists and organised tour groups.
3. USA
Arrivals: 79.3 million (2019)
Change: -0.6%
Despite the lowest increase in tourist arrivals year on year, the US holds strong as the third most visited country in the world. It has more famous cities than arguably any other country in the world – New York, LA, San Francisco, Miami and Chicago being just some of them. There’s plenty for culture vultures (New Orleans, Austin, Boston)…
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