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This article was first published 11 years ago

20 cities attracting most tourists in the world

Last updated on: August 14, 2013 18:32 IST


Photographs: Reuters

Cities across the world are expanding airports, constructing hotels and improving facilities all to attract tourist dollars. With tourism playing a major part of many economies, it's not a surprise that many destinations are going out of their way to woo visitors.

Let's take a look at 20 cities that attracted most international visitors in 2013.

Source: Mastercard Global Cities Index

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20 cities attracting most tourists in the world

Image: A skytrain passes over vehicles in Bangkok.
Photographs: Kerek Wongsa/Reuters

Bangkok

Country: Thailand

International overnight visitors in 2013: 15.98 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 1

Bangkok has many attractions, ranging from royal palaces and temples to shopping and eating joints. The city is also well-known for its exciting nightlife, cultural scene and historical locations. Apart from foreign visitors, Thailand's capital also sees huge number of domestic travellers.

Its main airport, Suvarnabhumi Airport, is the 14th busiest in the world.

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20 cities attracting most tourists in the world

Image: Thrill seekers ride a fairground attraction overlooking the London Eye, left, and Houses of Parliament, next to Thames, in London.
Photographs: Chris Helgren/Reuters

London

Country: The United Kingdom

International overnight visitors in 2013: 15.96 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 2

Some of the major attractions in London are Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Tower of London, Buckingham Palace and London Eye. It's also famous for its parks, such as St James's Park, Hyde Park and Hampstead Heath.

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20 cities attracting most tourists in the world

Image: Tourists stroll on the Trocadero square, in front of the Eiffel Tower, during a rainy summer day in Paris.
Photographs: Christian Hartmann/Reuters

Paris

Country: France

International overnight visitors in 2013: 13.92 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 3

Paris, the city of romance, has some of the most loved attractions in the world, including the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Champs-Elysees and Notre Dame de Paris. To make commuting easy, the city has several forms of transport, such as buses, Metro and boats.

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20 cities attracting most tourists in the world

Image: A cyclist rides past the skyline of the Central Business District in Singapore.
Photographs: Edgar Su/Reuters

Singapore

Country: Singapore

International overnight visitors in 2013: 11.75 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 4

Singapore has many things going for itself, such as low crime rate, prevalence of English language and world-class infrastructure. The city-state gets more visitors annually than its population.

Some of the major attractions are Orchard Road district, Marina Bay Sands, Resorts World Sentosa and Singapore Zoo.

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20 cities attracting most tourists in the world

Image: A view from the observation deck of the Empire State Building of midtown Manhattan, Rockefeller Center and Central Park in New York.
Photographs: Brendan McDermid/Reuters

New York City

Country: The United States

International overnight visitors in 2013: 11.52 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 5

New York City, one of the world's most visited cities in the world, has several attractions for both domestic and international visitors. Some of the most well-known hotspots are Times Square, Fifth and Madison Avenues, Statue of Liberty and Broadway.

Some of the events that see huge numbers of tourists include Halloween Parade, Labor Day Carnival and New York Marathon.

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20 cities attracting most tourists in the world

Image: A view of Istanbul's financial district.
Photographs: Murad Sezer/Reuters

Istanbul

Country: Turkey

International overnight visitors in 2013: 10.37 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 6

Istanbul, one of the world's leading conference centres, has thousands of hotels and destinations attracting both business and leisure travellers. Its two main airports handle millions of passengers every year.

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20 cities attracting most tourists in the world

Image: Towers are seen next to a Dubai Metro station on Sheikh Zayed Road.
Photographs: Jumana El Heloueh/Reuters

Dubai

Country: The United Arab Emirates

International overnight visitors in 2013: 9.89 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 7

Dubai, which is called the Shopping Destination of the Middle East, is famous for its malls, desert safari, parks and nightlife. It has some of the best hotels and also boasts the tallest building, Burj Khalifa, in the world.

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20 cities attracting most tourists in the world

Image: A view of Malaysia's landmark Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur.
Photographs: Bazuki Muhammad/Reuters

Kuala Lumpur

Country: Malaysia

International overnight visitors in 2013: 9.20 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 8

Kuala Lumpur, which has more than 60 shopping malls, is a tourist magnate for its dining experience, cultural scene and nightlife. Some of the major attractions are Petaling Street, the National Palace, Petronas Twin Towers and Suria KLCC.

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20 cities attracting most tourists in the world

Image: People walk on stairs featuring a five-metre-high reproduction of Vincent van Gogh's signature painting 'Sunflowers', at the entrance to Ocean Terminal in Hong Kong.
Photographs: Bobby Yip/Reuters

Hong Kong

Country: Hong Kong

International overnight visitors in 2013: 8.72 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 9

Tourism is one of the most important economic activity in Hong Kong. The city has number of attractions, including Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, Peninsula Hotel and Star Ferry Pier.

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20 cities attracting most tourists in the world

Image: A view of Barcelona.
Photographs: Albert Gea/Reuters

Barcelona

Country: Spain

International overnight visitors in 2013: 8.41 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 10

Barcelona, a city known for its moderate climate, has some of the best beaches in the world, excellent hotels, shopping areas and top-class infrastructure.

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20 cities attracting most tourists in the world

Image: Part of Gangnam area is seen down the Han River in Seoul.
Photographs: Lee Jae-Won/Reuters

Seoul

Country: South Korea

International overnight visitors in 2013: 8.19 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 11

Seoul, the capital of South Korea, is a city of shopping malls, cultural attractions and dynamic nightlife. Some of the best shopping areas are Dongdaemun Market, Namdaemun market, Insa-dong and Gangnam.

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20 cities attracting most tourists in the world

Image: A man carries a cage with a parrot inside it in Duomo Square in downtown Milan.
Photographs: Alessandro Garofalo/Reuters

Milan

Country: Italy

International overnight visitors in 2013: 6.83 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 12

Milan has several tourist attractions, such as Duomo and Piazza, Teatro alla Scala, San Siro Stadium, and is known for entertainment, cultural scene and leisure opportunities.

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20 cities attracting most tourists in the world

Image: An aerial view of St Peter's Square in Rome.
Photographs: Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters

Rome

Country: Italy

International overnight visitors in 2013: 6.71 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 13

Rome, which has been one of the most popular tourist destination for long time, has some of the most visited sites in the world, including Vatican Museums, Colosseum, St Peter's Basilica and Trevi Fountain.

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20 cities attracting most tourists in the world

Image: An aerial view shows vehicles travelling on intersections at night in downtown Shanghai.
Photographs: Aly Song/Reuters

Shanghai

Country: China

International overnight visitors in 2013: 6.50 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 14

Shanghai, one of the fastest growing cities in the world, is famous for its excellent infrastructure, exciting nightlife, cultural scenes and eating delights.

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20 cities attracting most tourists in the world

Image: A view of Amsterdam.
Photographs: Michael Kooren/Reuters

Amsterdam

Country: The Netherlands

International overnight visitors in 2013: 6.35 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 15

Amsterdam is a city that has attractions ranging from museums to shopping districts to canals and red-light areas. Some of the famous destinations are the canals, Rijksmuseum museum, Albert Cuyp Market, Amsterdam Diamond Centre and De Wallen, a red-light district.

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20 cities attracting most tourists in the world

Image: Japan's Mt Fuji, covered with snow, is seen through Shinjuku skyscrapers in Tokyo.
Photographs: Kimimasa Mayama/Reuters

Tokyo

Country: Japan

International overnight visitors in 2013: 5.80 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 16

Tokyo, which has two main airports, has several popular destinations, such as Imperial Palace, Meiji Shrine, Tokyo National Museum and Tsukiji Fish Market.

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20 cities attracting most tourists in the world

Image: Visitors watch a person sliding down a huge water pipe at a public swimming pool on a hot sunny day in Vienna.
Photographs: Leonhard Foeger/Reuters

Vienna

Country: Austria

International overnight visitors in 2013: 5.37 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 17

Vienna, which is once again seeing a surge in visitor numbers, has several world famous attractions, such as Schonbrunn Palace, Tiergarten Schonbrunn, the world's oldest zoo, and Vienna State Opera. The city offers both historical delights and dynamic nightlife.

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20 cities attracting most tourists in the world

Image: A view of Taipei 101.
Photographs: Pichi Chuang/Reuters

Taipei

Country: Taiwan

International overnight visitors in 2013: 5.19 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 18

Taipei, the capital of Taiwan has number of destinations for both international and domestic travellers, including Taipei 101, Shilin Night Market, Beitou Hot Springs and Huaxi Street Tourist Night Market.

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20 cities attracting most tourists in the world

Image: A view of Kingdom Tower in Riyadh.
Photographs: Ali Jarekji/Reuters

Riyadh

Country: Saudi Arabia

International overnight visitors in 2013: 5.05 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 19

Riyadh, one of the richest cities in the world, is the commercial and political capital of Saudi Arabia. Many multinational companies and banks are based in the city.

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20 cities attracting most tourists in the world

Image: Skyline of downtown Los Angeles and the 101 Hollywood Freeway, a busy commuter route, is pictured from Mulholland Drive.
Photographs: Fred Prouser/Reuters

Los Angeles

Country: The United States

International overnight visitors in 2013: 4.84 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 20

Los Angeles, home of Hollywood, has some of the most famous attractions, such as Walt Disney Concert Hall, Kodak Theatre, Griffith Observatory and the Getty Center. It also boasts some of the biggest companies in the globe.