Bangkok is the most visited global destination, but Asia/Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa are becoming increasingly important elements of the global economy

Bangkok is the most visited destination in the world by the number of international visitors according to the results of the annual Mastercard Global Destinations Cities Index, which lists the 132 most visited cities worldwide. This study provides insight into the number of visitors and estimates of their spending for the year 2016, as well as how people travel and spend while traveling around the world.

As international travel and spending continue to grow faster than global GDP, cities remain drivers of economic growth. According to this study, Bangkok will receive 21.47 million international visitors who will stay overnight in the city in 2016. Following it are London with 19.88 million and Paris with 18.03 million visitors. Estimates of the number of foreign visitors for the other cities on the list of the ten most visited destinations are:

– Dubai 15.27 million visitors
– New York 12.75 million visitors
– Singapore 12.11 million visitors
– Kuala Lumpur 12.02 million visitors
– Istanbul 11.95 million visitors
– Tokyo 11.70 million visitors
– Seoul 10.20 million visitors

The biggest surprise in this year’s edition of the research is Dubai’s leap to the top of the list based on estimated spending by international visitors amounting to 31.3 billion US dollars, surpassing the spending of 19.8 billion dollars in second-placed London.

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– The way people travel and spend in other countries indicates the connectivity and importance of global cities, said Ann Cairns, President of International Markets at Mastercard, adding that planning and travel experiences are becoming increasingly important, and Mastercard provides a platform to connect all these parts through innovation.

List of the fastest growing cities

The fact that the lists of the 10 most visited and 10 fastest growing cities are completely different indicates that Asia/Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa are becoming increasingly important elements of the global economy. On the global scale, the highest growth in the number of foreign visitors over the past seven years is shown by Osaka (24.15 percent). The list of the top 10 fastest growing cities in the world includes:

– Chengdu 20.14 percent
– Abu Dhabi 19.81 percent
– Colombo 19.57 percent
– Tokyo 18.48 percent
– Riyadh 16.45 percent
– Taipei 14.53 percent
– Xi’an 14.20 percent
– Tehran 12.98 percent
– Xiamen 12.93 percent

The list of the fastest growing cities in Europe also includes cities from Central and Eastern Europe.

– Prague and Vienna are among the 20 most visited destinations, and it is very significant that this year Budapest, Bucharest, and Sofia made it to the list of the 10 fastest growing European cities. By combining knowledge, innovation, and experience, Mastercard forms various partnerships to help these and other cities in the region become leading smart cities of the future, said George Simon, President of the Central and Eastern Europe division.

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New insights into the purpose of travel and spending

This study investigates whether visitors travel for business or leisure and provides insight into the structure of cross-border spending, including restaurants, accommodation, and shopping. Thus, the 2016 Index shows that in the 20 most visited cities, more visitors travel for leisure, except in Shanghai (for 54.6 percent of visitors, the reason for travel is business). Most visitors to these 20 cities spend the most on shopping compared to spending on meals, except in Europe – in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Istanbul, Milan, Paris, Prague, and Vienna, a larger share is spent on food.

Identification of regional trends

The Index also presents the most visited and fastest growing cities by region:

• Asia/Pacific – five Asian cities are among the most visited international destinations (Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Seoul) and seven among the fastest growing cities.
• Europe – London, the second most visited destination in the world and second in the region, is the main emitting destination when it comes to visitors and spending for all other cities among the most visited European cities: Paris, Istanbul, Barcelona, and Amsterdam.
• Central America – Lima holds the top spot on the lists of the most visited and fastest growing cities in the region with 4.03 million visitors (32nd globally) and a growth rate of 9.9 percent (15th globally). When it comes to spending, Punta Cana is first in the region with 2.95 billion US dollars, followed by Mexico City with 2.27 billion US dollars.
• Middle East and Africa – Dubai is the most visited city in the region (fourth on the global list), and Abu Dhabi has the highest growth rate (19.81 percent). This makes the United Arab Emirates the most visited and fastest growing country in the region for the second consecutive year.
• North America – New York, fifth on the global list, is the most visited city in this region, significantly surpassing other cities in visitor spending (18.25 billion dollars). Almost 90 percent of international visitors to New York come from cities outside North America, primarily from London, Paris, Sao Paulo, Toronto, and Beijing.

Mastercard has recognized the importance of cities as trade centers and therefore provides technologies that offer greater efficiency and convenience to countries and their residents. An example is the introduction of contactless payment in public transport systems in cities such as London and Chicago. The results of this report can also help airlines, hotels, and other merchants create smarter, more relevant, and tailored experiences for consumers.