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IN PICS: World's TOP 20 destinations for 2012

Last updated on: June 15, 2012 18:13 IST

MasterCard's 'Worldwide Index of Global Destination Cities' has come up with a list of the top 20 global destinations that will see a huge stream of visitors in 2012.

The index has ranked these cities based on the number of visitors these places expect this year, along with the average amount these visitors will be spending on their sojourns.

Using information gleaned from 87 airlines, national tourism boards, the United Nations and other global agencies, the MasterCard Index offers an optimistic overall forecast.

Using these results, in the following pages we bring you the most popular destinations of 2012:

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IN PICS: World's TOP 20 destinations for 2012

Last updated on: June 15, 2012 18:13 IST
A man looks through a telescope opposite Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, in central London

1. London

Likely number of visitors in 2012: 16.9 million

Visitor spend: $ 21.1 million

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IN PICS: World's TOP 20 destinations for 2012

Last updated on: June 15, 2012 18:13 IST
A Paris Autolib' electric car is parked near the Eiffel tower during a presentation ride in Paris

2. Paris

Likely number of visitors in 2012: 16 million

Visitor spend: $ 17.8 million

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IN PICS: World's TOP 20 destinations for 2012

Last updated on: June 15, 2012 18:13 IST
A Buddhist monk sweeps the floor next to a giant statue of Buddha at Klang Kret temple in Nonthaburi province, on the outskirts of Bangkok

3. Bangkok

Likely number of visitors in 2012: 16 million

Visitor spend: $ 19.3 million

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IN PICS: World's TOP 20 destinations for 2012

Last updated on: June 15, 2012 18:13 IST
An aerial view shows the main grand stand and the F1 pit building behind the Singapore Flyer observation wheel at dusk

4. Singapore

Likely number of visitors in 2012: 11.8 million

Visitor spend: $ 12.7 million

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IN PICS: World's TOP 20 destinations for 2012

Last updated on: June 15, 2012 18:13 IST

5. Istanbul

Likely number of visitors in 2012: 11.6 million

Visitor spend: $ 10.6 million

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IN PICS: World's TOP 20 destinations for 2012

Last updated on: June 15, 2012 18:13 IST
The eighty-eight storey high Two IFC, the highest building in Hong Kong, stands on the waterfront facing the territory's Victoria Harbour

6. Hong Kong

Likely number of visitors in 2012: 9.5 million

Visitor spend: $ 17.8 million

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IN PICS: World's TOP 20 destinations for 2012

Last updated on: June 15, 2012 18:13 IST
Women in costumes adorned with old lottery tickets attend the draw for Spain's Christmas Lottery

7. Madrid

Likely number of visitors in 2012: 9.7 million

Visitor spend: $ 11.5 million

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IN PICS: World's TOP 20 destinations for 2012

Last updated on: June 15, 2012 18:13 IST
A keeper helps tourists dismount from a camel in the Dubai desert

8. Dubai

Likely number of visitors in 2012: 8.8 million

Visitor spend: $ 8.8 million

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IN PICS:World's TOP 20 destinations for 2012

Last updated on: June 15, 2012 18:13 IST
A Lufthansa Boeing 747 passenger plane lands in front of Frankfurt's skyline

9. Frankfurt

Likely number of visitors in 2012: 8.1 million

Visitor spend: $ 10.9 million

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IN PICS: World's TOP 20 destinations for 2012

Last updated on: June 15, 2012 18:13 IST
The new Monorail Malaysia train passes the Petronas Twin Towers during a test run in Kuala Lumpur.

10. Kuala Lumpur

Likely number of visitors in 2012: 8.1 million

Visitor spend: $ 6.4 million

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IN PICS: World's TOP 20 destinations for 2012

Last updated on: June 15, 2012 18:13 IST
A man pulls a cart as he walks along sculptures of Roses of Sharon covering the fences of Gyeongbokgung palace in Seoul.

11. Seoul

Likely number of visitors in 2012: 8 million

Visitor spend: $ 10.6 million

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IN PICS: World's TOP 20 destinations for 2012

Last updated on: June 15, 2012 18:13 IST
Rome's ancient Colosseum is lit up to mark the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on New York's World Trade Center.

12. Rome

Likely number of visitors in 2012: 7.8 million

Visitor spend: $ 8.3 million

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IN PICS: World's TOP 20 destinations for 2012

Last updated on: June 15, 2012 18:13 IST
Vehicles drive past the New York Times headquarters in New York.

13. New York

Likely number of visitors in 2012: 7.6 million

Visitor spend: $ 19.4 million

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IN PICS: World's TOP 20 destinations for 2012

Last updated on: June 15, 2012 18:13 IST
An aerial view, released April 14, 2010 shows Nanpu Bridge, built from funds provided by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), in Shanghai.

14. Shanghai

Likely number of visitors in 2012: 7.5 million

Visitor spend: $ 8.3 million

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IN PICS: World's TOP 20 destinations for 2012

Last updated on: June 15, 2012 18:13 IST
General view of Antoni Tapies Foundation building in central Barcelona.

15. Barcelona

Likely number of visitors in 2012: 7.3 million

Visitor spend: $ 8.9 million

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IN PICS: World's TOP 20 destinations for 2012

Last updated on: June 15, 2012 18:13 IST
Collage of Milan City

16. Milan

Likely number of visitors in 2012: 7.1 million

Visitor spend: $ 7.5 million

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Last updated on: June 15, 2012 18:13 IST
A woman and her children board a tram painted pink in Amsterdam to celebrate the arrival of the Giro d'Italia in Amsterdam

17. Amsterdam

Likely number of visitors in 2012: 6.9 million

Visitor spend: Figures not available in the survey

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IN PICS: World's TOP 20 destinations for 2012

Last updated on: June 15, 2012 18:13 IST
Vienna's United Nations headquarters is pictured during a visit of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to mark the 30th anniversary of the Vienna International Centre in Vienna

18. Vienna

Likely number of visitors in 2012: 6.7 million

Visitor spend: $ 7.9 million

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Last updated on: June 15, 2012 18:13 IST
Tourists gather around a giant red lantern on display at Beijing's Tiananmen Square

19. Beijing

Likely number of visitors in 2012: 6.2 million

Visitor spend: $ 6.5 million

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IN PICS: World's TOP 20 destinations for 2012

Last updated on: June 15, 2012 18:13 IST
A general view of the Taipei skyline shows the Taipei 101 building shortly before the city participated in Earth Hour.

20. Taipei

Likely number of visitors in 2012: 5.4 million

Visitor spend: $ 10.5 million

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Source: ANI