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Annual International Tourist Arrivals

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Most Visited Countries 2024

Snapshot

  • European countries, often rich in history, culture, beautiful beaches, and ocean views, attract the highest number of tourists.

  • France, leading in tourism for over 30 years, offers attractions like the Eiffel Tower and Disneyland Paris, drawing 38 million tourists to Paris alone in 2019.

  • Global travel and tourism, an $8.9 trillion industry in 2019, suffered a loss of $4.5 trillion and 62 million jobs in 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Global travel and tourism was an $8.9 trillion (US$) business in 2019. Moreover, though the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced that number to roughly a quarter of its previous value, all signs point to tourism continuing to grow, expand, and evolve. Every country on Earth has something to offer international visitors, from the pyramids in Egypt to the rainforests of Brazil or the sidewalk cafes of Paris—but which countries attract the most visitors of all? Most of the countries with the highest tourism rates are located in Europe, whose rich history, architecture, and cultural influence make it an appealing destination for many travelers. Countries positioned on or near a body of water are also very popular, particularly those that offer a relaxed, low-key atmosphere mixed with beautiful beaches and ocean views.

Top 10 Countries Most Popular with Tourists (by number of 2019 visitor arrivals)

Country
Annual International Tourist Arrivals
France117.1M
Poland88.5M
Mexico51.1M
United States45M
Thailand39.9M
Italy38.4M
Czech Republic37.2M
Spain36.4M
Canada32.4M
Hungary31.6M

The most popular tourist destination in the world for more than 30 years, France offers a myriad of attractions: the Eiffel tower, countless world-class restaurants, the Musée du Louvre, the Palace of Versailles, the Notre-Dame cathedral, the beaches of the Côte d'Azur, and of course, Disneyland Paris. Moreover, the lushly beautiful countryside is full of storybook villages, mountains, vineyards, and the occasional castle. One can even view prehistoric cave paintings in Lascaux. Paris, France's capital, is the most visited city in Europe, receiving 38 million tourists in 2019.

Spain is another tourist destination overflowing with interesting attractions. Antoni Gaudi's Sagrada Familia cathedral and other works in Barcelona, the Guggenheim museum, the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens, Europe's largest aquarium (the lily-shaped L'Oceanogràfic), the beaches of Gran Canaria, and La Rambla in Barcelona. Spain is also home to El Teide, an ancient—but not entirely dormant—volcano, which visitors can hike around at the Parque Nacional del Teide on the Spanish island Tenerife.

England's capital city, London, attracts visitors with a wide range of sights including Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, and the British Museum, which includes the largest collection of Egyptian artifacts outside of Cairo. Beyond London, England offers the mysterious Stonehenge, the Beatles' birthplace in Liverpool, the quaint beauty of the Cotswolds, the sci-fi botanical gardens of the Eden Project, and more. Speaking of more, the UK also includes three additional subdivisions. First is Scotland, with the charming city of Edinburgh, moody Loch Ness and Inverness, the scenic highlands, and the historic St. Andrews golf course. Next comes charming Wales and its castles, scenery, and capital city of Cardiff. Finally, Northern Ireland boasts attractions including Belfast's bubbling nightlife, the glens and coastline of Antrim, and one of Europe's most compelling natural wonders: the Giant's Causeway.

The Mediterranean nation Turkey balances captivating man-made attractions such as Hagia Sophia mosque and Topkapı Palace with archaeological wonders such as the Biblical city of Ephesus, the fairy city of Cappadocia, and the desolate fallen splendor of Mount Nemrut. It also has more than its share of natural wonders, including the famous beaches at Ölüdeniz and Patara, the mineral pools at Pamukkale, and the Mediterranean coastline itself.

The South Asian country of Thailand is also known as the "Land of Smiles", and offers both modern comforts and wild adventure. Thailand's capital, Bangkok, receives over 20 million visitors every year. Popular attractions include the Grand Palace in Bangkok; beaches including Railay, Long, and Monkey beach; the ancient city Ayutthaya and ornate Buddhist wat Coi Suthep, and national parks including Khao Yai (where wild elephants roam) and the otherworldly Khao Sok.

The impact of COVID-19 on travel and tourism

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020-21 had a devastating effect on the travel and tourism industry. According to a report released by the World Travel & Tourism Council, the pandemic cost the industry an estimated US$ 4.5 trillion in 2020, which resulted in the loss of 62 million tourism-dependent jobs. Data from the United Nations World Tourism Organization backs this up. Consider the following table:

International tourist arrivals (in thousands of visitors):

Compared to 2019, tourism dropped by approximately 74% in 2020, with a total of a billion fewer travelers over the course of the year--making 2020 the worst year on record for tourism. The UNTWO's own estimates registered a loss of US$ 1.3 trillion in lost revenues and 100-120 million jobs either lost or at risk.

The impact has been particularly damaging in countries that rely heavily upon tourism as part of their GDP. Lost tourism in Macau, one of China's special administrative regions, led to a 79.3% drop in year-on-year gambling revenues, which caused overall GDP for 2020 to fall 43.1% compared to the previous year.

While tourism has picked up slightly in 2021, they still fall far short of the pre-pandemic numbers. Late 2020 projections were hopeful that the industry would be back on track by late 2021, but the ongoing nature of the pandemic has thwarted that optimism. As of late 2021, most estimates do not expect the industry to rebound to 2019 (pre-COVID) levels until sometime in 2023 at the earliest.

- Visitor totals are displayed in 1000s. For example, South Africa's displayed total of 3886.6 equals 3,886,600 visitors.

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Country
Annual International Tourist Arrivals
Data Year
% of World Visits
France117.1M202011.74%
Poland88.5M20198.87%
Mexico51.1M20205.12%
United States45M20204.51%
Thailand39.9M20194%
Italy38.4M20203.85%
Czech Republic37.2M20193.73%
Spain36.4M20203.65%
Canada32.4M20193.25%
Hungary31.6M20203.17%
China30.4M20203.05%
Croatia21.6M20202.17%
Saudi Arabia20.3M20192.03%
India17.9M20191.8%
Turkey16M20201.6%
Denmark15.6M20201.56%
Slovakia15.3M20181.53%
Austria15.1M20201.51%
Egypt13M20191.31%
Germany12.4M20201.25%
Switzerland11.8M20191.18%
United Kingdom11.1M20201.11%
Ireland11M20191.1%
United States Virgin Islands8.6M20200.86%
Kyrgyzstan8.5M20190.85%
United Arab Emirates8.1M20200.81%
Greece7.4M20200.74%
Argentina7.3M20190.74%
Netherlands7.3M20200.73%
Uzbekistan6.7M20190.68%
Russia6.4M20200.64%
Brazil6.4M20190.64%
Macau5.9M20200.59%
Chile5.4M20190.54%
Nigeria5.3M20160.53%
Andorra5.2M20200.52%
Romania5M20200.5%
Bulgaria5M20200.5%
Israel4.9M20190.49%
Malaysia4.3M20200.43%
Portugal4.2M20200.42%
Cyprus4.1M20190.41%
Japan4.1M20200.41%
Indonesia4.1M20200.41%
South Africa3.9M20200.39%
Puerto Rico3.9M20200.39%
Vietnam3.8M20200.38%
Belarus3.6M20200.36%
Hong Kong3.6M20200.36%
Uruguay3.5M20190.35%
Ukraine3.4M20200.34%
Latvia3.2M20200.32%
Morocco2.8M20200.28%
Dominican Republic2.7M20200.28%
Singapore2.7M20200.27%
Albania2.7M20200.27%
Belgium2.6M20200.26%
South Korea2.5M20200.25%
Syria2.4M20190.24%
Lithuania2.3M20200.23%
Kuwait2.2M20200.22%
Ecuador2.1M20190.21%
Kenya2M20190.21%
Kazakhstan2M20200.2%
Mozambique2M20190.2%
Tunisia2M20200.2%
Sweden2M20200.2%
Sint Maarten2M20190.2%
Aruba2M20190.2%
Lebanon1.9M20190.19%
Bahrain1.9M20200.19%
San Marino1.9M20190.19%
Botswana1.8M20180.18%
Australia1.8M20200.18%
Bahamas1.8M20200.18%
Estonia1.7M20200.17%
Rwanda1.6M20190.16%
Iran1.6M20200.16%
Tanzania1.5M20190.15%
Georgia1.5M20200.15%
Philippines1.5M20200.15%
Norway1.4M20200.14%
Colombia1.4M20200.14%
Senegal1.4M20170.14%
Jamaica1.3M20200.13%
Cambodia1.3M20200.13%
Curacao1.3M20190.13%
Jordan1.2M20200.12%
Slovenia1.2M20200.12%
Costa Rica1.1M20200.11%
Lesotho1.1M20190.11%
Peru1.1M20200.11%
Cuba1.1M20200.11%
Paraguay1.1M20200.11%
Brunei1.1M20200.11%
Tajikistan1M20180.1%
Cameroon1M20190.1%
New Zealand1M20200.1%
Pakistan966K20120.1%
Barbados966K20190.1%
Haiti938K20190.09%
Myanmar903K20200.09%
Ghana897K20150.09%
Finland896K20200.09%
Iraq892K20130.09%
Laos886.4K20200.09%
Malawi871K20180.09%
Oman869K20200.09%
Sudan836K20180.08%
Azerbaijan796K20200.08%
Libya760K20080.08%
Malta718K20200.07%
El Salvador707K20200.07%
Honduras669K20200.07%
Ivory Coast668K20200.07%
Cayman Islands660K20200.07%
Panama647K20200.06%
Zimbabwe639K20200.06%
Guatemala594K20200.06%
Algeria591K20200.06%
Qatar582K20200.06%
Maldives555K20200.06%
Sri Lanka540K20200.05%
Gabon526K20050.05%
Luxembourg525K20200.05%
Ethiopia518K20200.05%
Zambia502K20200.05%
Iceland488K20200.05%
Belize487K20200.05%
Northern Mariana Islands487K20190.05%
Togo482K20200.05%
Nicaragua474K20200.05%
Uganda473K20200.05%
Serbia446K20200.04%
Saint Lucia432.5K20200.04%
Venezuela429K20170.04%
Yemen398K20150.04%
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines392K20190.04%
Antigua and Barbuda384.5K20200.04%
Turkmenistan380K19980.04%
Armenia375K20200.04%
Turks and Caicos Islands370.4K20200.04%
DR Congo351K20160.04%
Montenegro351K20200.04%
Eswatini345.3K20200.03%
Benin337K20190.03%
Guam328K20200.03%
Bolivia323.3K20200.03%
Bangladesh323K20190.03%
Mauritius316K20200.03%
Saint Kitts and Nevis301.4K20200.03%
Burundi299K20170.03%
Suriname279K20170.03%
Gambia246K20200.02%
Nepal230K20200.02%
Angola218K20190.02%
Mali217K20190.02%
Grenada217K20200.02%
Bosnia and Herzegovina197K20200.02%
Namibia187.1K20200.02%
Cape Verde180K20200.02%
Fiji168K20200.02%
Monaco159K20200.02%
Republic of the Congo158K20180.02%
Eritrea142K20160.01%
Trinidad and Tobago141K20200.01%
Dominica140K20200.01%
Seychelles124.5K20200.01%
North Macedonia118K20200.01%
Guinea99K20170.01%
Tonga94K20190.01%
French Polynesia89.4K20200.01%
Madagascar87.1K20200.01%
Central African Republic87K20190.01%
Guyana86.4K20200.01%
Niger85K20200.01%
British Virgin Islands83K20200.01%
Vanuatu82.4K20200.01%
Timor Leste74.8K20190.01%
Sierra Leone71K20190.01%
Burkina Faso67K20200.01%
Mongolia66.9K20200.01%
Djibouti63K20130.01%
Liechtenstein58.4K20200.01%
Guinea Bissau52.4K20190.01%
Bermuda51.4K20200.01%
Papua New Guinea39K20200%
Sao Tome and Principe33.4K20180%
New Caledonia31K20200%
Mauritania30K20000%
Bhutan29.8K20200%
Moldova29K20200%
Samoa23.9K20200%
Palau18.4K20200%
Micronesia18K20190%
Kiribati12K20190%
Chad10.4K20200%
Comoros7K20200%
Marshall Islands6.1K20190%
Solomon Islands4.4K20200%
Tuvalu3.6K20190%
American Samoa90020200%
Total1B100%
showing: 202 rows

What are the top 5 most visited countries?

The top five most visited countries are France, Spain, the United States, China, and Italy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources