The World Tourism rankings are compiled by the United Nations World Tourism Organization as part of their World Tourism Barometer publication, which is released up to six times per year. In the publication, destinations are ranked by the number of international visitor arrivals, by the revenue generated by inbound tourism, and by the expenditure of outbound travelers.

Most visited destinations by international tourist arrivals

In 2022 there were 963 million international tourists, with a growth of 111% compared to 2021 but a drop of -34.3% compared to 2019.[1] The top 10 international tourism destinations in 2022 were:[2][3]

Rank Destination International
tourist
arrivals
(2022)[2][3]
International
tourist
arrivals
(2021)[3]
Change
(2021 to
2022)
(%)
Change
(2020 to
2021)
(%)
1   France 79.4 million 48.4 million   64   16.1
2   Spain 71.7 million 31.2 million   130   64.7
3   United States 50.9 million 22.1 million   130   15.0
4   Turkey 50.5 million 29.9 million   69   88.3
5   Italy 49.8 million 26.9 million   85   6.7
6   Mexico 38.3 million 31.9 million   20   31.2
7   United Kingdom 30.7 million 6.3 million   389   41.3
8   Germany 28.5 million 11.7 million   144   6.1
9   Greece 27.8 million 14.7 million   89   99.4
10   Austria 26.2 million 12.7 million   106   15.7

Africa

In 2019, there were 69.9 million international tourist arrivals to Africa (excluding Egypt and Libya), an increase of 2.4% from 2018.[4] In 2019, the top ten African destinations were:

Rank Destination International
tourist
arrivals
(2019)[4]
International
tourist
arrivals
(2018)[4]
Change
(2018 to
2019)
(%)
Change
(2017 to
2018)
(%)
1   Egypt 13.0 million 11.3 million   14.8   36.8
2   Morocco 12.9 million 12.3 million   5.2   8.3
3   South Africa 10.2 million 10.5 million   2.3   1.8
4   Tunisia 9.4 million 8.3 million   13.6   17.7
5   Algeria 2.4 million 2.7 million   10.8   8.4
6   Zimbabwe 2.3 million 2.6 million   10.8   5.9
7   Mozambique 2.0 million 2.7 million   26.4   89.6
8   Ivory Coast 2.0 million -   9.2
9   Kenya 1.9 million -   15.4
10   Botswana 1.7 million -   2.0
Note: Egypt and Libya are classified under "Middle East" in the UNWTO.[5]

Americas

In 2022, there were 156.2 million international tourist arrivals to the Americas, an increase of 90.9%.[4] In 2022, the top ten destinations were:

Rank Destination International
tourist
arrivals
(2022)[4]
International
tourist
arrivals
(2021)[4]
Change
(2021 to
2022)
(%)
Change
(2020 to
2021)
(%)
1   United States 50.8 million 22.2 million   128.8   15.6
2   Mexico 38.3 million 31.8 million   20.4   31.4
3   Canada 12.8 million 3.0 million   326.6   3.4
4   Dominican Republic 6.9 million 4.9 million   40.8   104.1
5   Colombia 4.5 million 2.1 million   114.2   74.9
6   Argentina 3.8 million 0.3 million   1196.6   85.6
7   Brazil 3.6 million 0.7 million   386.5   65.2
8   Jamaica 2.4 million 1.4 million   71.4   66.3
9   Uruguay 2.4 million 0.2 million   962.4   74.9
10   Costa Rica 2.3 million 1.3 million   76.9   33.1

Asia and the Pacific

In 2019, there were 360.7 million international tourist arrivals to Asia-Pacific, an increase of 4.1% over 2018.[4] In 2019, the top ten destinations were:

Rank Destination International
tourist
arrivals
(2019)[4]
International
tourist
arrivals
(2018)[4]
Change
(2018 to
2019)
(%)
Change
(2017 to
2018)
(%)
1   China 65.7 million 62.9 million   4.5   3.6
2   Thailand 39.8 million 38.2 million   4.3   7.3
3   Japan 32.2 million 31.2 million   3.2   8.7
4   Malaysia 26.1 million 25.8 million   1.0   0.4
5   Hong Kong 23.8 million 29.3 million   18.8   4.9
6   Macau 18.6 million 18.5 million   0.8   7.2
7   Vietnam 18.0 million 15.5 million   16.2   19.9
8   India 17.9 million 17.4 million   2.8   12.1
9   South Korea 17.5 million 15.3 million   14.0   15.1
10   Indonesia 15.5 million 13.4 million   15.4   3.5

Europe

In 2022, there were 594.5 million international tourist arrivals to Europe, an increase of 95% over 2021.[4]Top 10 destinations of the last four years were:

Rank Destination International
tourist
arrivals
(2022)[3]
International
tourist
arrivals
(2021)[3]
International
tourist
arrivals
(2020)[4]
International
tourist
arrivals
(2019)[4]
Change
(2021 to
2022)
(%)
Change
(2020 to
2021)
(%)
1   France 48.4 million 41.7 million 90.9 million   16.1
2   Spain 71.7 million 31.2 million 18.9 million 83.5 million   130   64.7
3   Turkey 50.5 million 29.9 million 15.9 million 51.2 million   69   88.3
4   Italy 49.8 million 26.9 million 25.2 million 64.5 million   85   6.7
5   United Kingdom 6.3 million 10.7 million 39.4 million   41.3
6   Germany 28.5 million 11.7 million 12.4 million 39.6 million   144   6.1
7   Greece 27.8 million 14.7 million 7.4 million 31.3 million   89   99.4
8   Austria 26.2 million 12.7 million 15.1 million 31.9 million   106   15.7
9   Portugal 9.6 million 6.5 million 24.5 million   48.4
10   Netherlands 15.9 million 6.2 million 7.3 million 20.1 million   155   14.0

West Asia

In 2019, there were 61.4 million international tourist arrivals to West Asia (excluding Iran and Israel), an increase of 2.1% over 2018. In 2019, the top ten destinations were:

Rank Destination International
tourist
arrivals
(2019)[4]
International
tourist
arrivals
(2018)[4]
Change
(2018 to
2019)
(%)
Change
(2017 to
2018)
(%)
1   Saudi Arabia 17.5 million 15.5 million   13.0   3.7
2   United Arab Emirates 16.7 million 15.9 million   5.1   0.8
3   Egypt 13.0 million 11.3 million   14.8   36.8
4   Iran 9.1 million 7.3 million   24.4   49.9
5   Israel 4.6 million 4.1 million   10.5   14.1
6   Jordan 4.5 million 4.2 million   8.1   8.0
7   Bahrain 3.8 million 4.4 million   11.8   0.2
8   Oman 2.5 million 2.3 million   8.6   0.6
9   Qatar 2.1 million 1.8 million   17.4   19.4
10   Lebanon 1.9 million 2.0 million   1.4   5.8
Note: Iran is classified as part of "South Asia" in the UNWTO.[5]

Israel is classified as part of "Southern/Medit.Europe" in the UNWTO.[5]

International tourism receipts

International tourism receipts reached USD 1 trillion in 2022, growing 50% in real terms compared to 2021, driven by the important rebound in international travel.[4] The World Tourism Organization reports the following destinations as the top ten tourism earners for the year 2022, with the United States by far the top earner.

Rank Region International
tourism
receipts

(US$ billion)
(2022)[3]

International
tourism
receipts

(US$ billion)
(2021)[3]

Change
(local currency)
(2021 to 2022)
(%)
1   United States 135.2 70.2   93%
2   Spain 72.9 34.5   137%
3   United Kingdom 68.2 33.1   129%
4   France 59.7 40.8   64%
5   Italy 44.3 25.2   98%
6   Turkey 41.2 26.6   55%
7   United Arab Emirates 34.4
8   Germany 31.5 22.3   59%
9   Mexico 28.0 19.8   42%
10   Canada 24.0 14.5   73%

Africa

Rank Region International
tourism
receipts
(US$ million)
(2019)[4]
1   Egypt 13,030
2   South Africa 8,384
3   Morocco 8,179
4   Tanzania 2,605
5   Tunisia 2,116
6   Mauritius 1,779
7   Uganda 1,463
8   Nigeria 1,449
9   Ghana 1,425
10   Kenya 1,072*
Note: Number for Kenya is for 2018.

Americas

Rank Region International
tourism
receipts
(US$ million)
(2019)[4]
1   United States 214,134
2   Canada 28,012
3   Mexico 24,573
4   Dominican Republic 7,468
5   Brazil 5,995
6   Colombia 5,652
7   Argentina 5,241
8   Panama 4,521
9   Bahamas 4,126
10   Costa Rica 4,010

Asia and the Pacific

Rank Region International
tourism
receipts
(US$ million)
(2019)[4]
1   Thailand 60,521
2   Japan 46,054
3   Australia 45,709
4   Macau 40,060
5   China 35,832
6   India 30,720
7   Hong Kong 29,043
8   South Korea 21,628
9   Singapore 20,052
10   Malaysia 19,823

Europe

Rank Region International
tourism
receipts
(US$ billion)
(2022)[4]
1   Spain 72,9
2   United Kingdom 68,2
3   France 59,7
4   Italy 44,3
5   Turkey 41,2
6   Germany 31,5
7   Portugal 22,2
8   Austria 19,2
9   Greece 18,6
10   Switzerland 16,2

West Asia

Rank Region International
tourism
receipts
(US$ million)
(2019)[4]
1   United Arab Emirates 21,800
2   Saudi Arabia 16,382
3   Egypt 13,030
4   Lebanon 8,593
5   Israel 7,600
6   Jordan 5,786
7   Qatar 5,442
8   Iran 4,402*
9   Bahrain 3,681
10   Iraq 3,593
Note: Number for Iran is for 2017.

International tourism expenditure

The World Tourism Organization reports the following source markets as the top ten spenders on international tourism for the year 2021 and 2022, with United States and China by far being the top spender:

Rank Country International
tourism
expenditure
(2022)[3]
International
tourism
expenditure
(2021)[3]
Change
(local currency)
(2021 to 2022)
(%) [3]
1   United States $114.9 billion $56.9 billion   102
2   China $114.8 billion $109.4 billion   10
3   Germany $89.4 billion $51.0 billion   97
4   France $47.7 billion $34.8 billion   54
5   United Kingdom $24.3 billion
6   Italy $26.3 billion $15.0 billion   97
7   India $25.9 billion $14.3 billion
8   Canada $24.4 billion $7.9 billion   221
9   Spain $21.4 billion $12.3 billion   95
10   United Arab Emirates $21.8 billion

See also

References

  1. ^ "Tourism on Track for Full Recovery as New Data Shows Strong Start to 2023". www.unwto.org. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Global and regional tourism performance". www.unwto.org. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "International Tourism – 2023 starts on a strong note with the Middle East recovering 2019 levels in the first quarter" (PDF). webunwto.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 August 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "UNWTO World Tourism Barometer and Statistical Annex, December 2020 | World Tourism Organization". UNWTO World Tourism Barometer (English Version). 18 (7): 1–36. 18 December 2020. doi:10.18111/wtobarometereng.2020.18.1.7. S2CID 241989515.
  5. ^ a b c "WTO/ Member States of Middle East". World Tourism Organization. Retrieved 16 January 2015.

External links