World Tourism Rankings By Country – Most Visited Countries in the World in 2023

Page last updated: 24 July 2024

2023 marked the return of most global travel, and current world tourism rankings reveal how the tourism industry has recovered post-pandemic. As borders reopened and restrictions eased, tourists worldwide were eager to explore both new and familiar destinations.

What are the top 10 most visited countries in the world? 

France, Spain, and the United States are the leading destinations for international tourism. 

• For more than 30 years, France has held the top spot as the most visited country globally, welcoming more than 100 million international tourists in 2023 and accounting for 8% of the global tourism market.
• France is expected to be the most visited country also in 2024, with visitor numbers boosted by the Paris Olympics and total international visitors forecast to reach 101 million.

• Spain followed closely with 85.17 million arrivals in 2023, while the United States ranked third, attracting 66.48 million tourists.

• China, ranked fourth in 2019, has dropped out of the top 10 tourist destinations since the onset of the pandemic.

• France, Spain, Turkey, Greece, and the UAE saw increases in tourist arrivals in 2023 compared to 2019, while the USA, Italy, Mexico, the UK, and Germany have experienced declines.

Which country is most visited in Europe? 

France continued to reign as the most visited country in Europe with 100 million visitors in 2023.

• France consistently draws crowds to iconic attractions such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and its scenic countryside and wine regions.

Which country is most visited in America? 

In the Americas, the United States stood out as the most visited country, attracting 66.48 million international visitors in 2023.

• The United States is known for its diverse landscape, vibrant cities, and iconic sights like the Grand Canyon, Statue of Liberty, and Hollywood.

Which country is most visited in Asia? 

In 2023, Thailand became Asia’s most visited country, attracting around 28.15 million international tourists. 

This marked an increase in visitors, positioning Thailand above China, the former leader in Asian tourism before the pandemic. 

• China’s restrictions on international tourists during the pandemic, followed by a reopening this year, contributed to Thailand’s rise to the top.

• Read more about China’s Tourism Statistics here.

Which country is most visited in Africa and the Middle East?

• In the African region, Morocco stands out as the most visited country, drawing in 14.5 million international visitors in 2023. 

• Saudi Arabia holds the top spot for tourism in the Middle East, with 27.42 million international tourists gracing its lands in 2023.

Travel Resources by Country

Which country has the highest tourism rate in the world? 

France: Leading in Visitor Numbers

France remains the world’s top tourist destination, consistently drawing visitors with its rich culture, historic landmarks, and culinary fame.

• Over 100 million tourists travelled to France in 2023, contributing approximately $68.5 billion in tourism receipts, which averages to about $686 per visitor.

Which country has the world’s biggest tourism? 

United States: Leading in Tourism Revenue

The United States dominates as the largest tourism economy. Not only does it repeatedly rank among the top three most-visited nations, but it also leads in visitor spending. 

• The U.S. welcomed 66.48 million tourists in 2023, who spent more than $175.9 billion or 12% of global tourism receipts, equating to an average spend of $2,645 per visitor.

World Tourism Rankings by Country in Terms of Spending

In 2023, the United States led with 66.48 million tourist arrivals, generating $175.9 billion in receipts. This made up 12% of global tourism receipts, with each tourist spending approximately $2,645 on average during their visit. 

• While France and Spain led in terms of the number of arrivals, the United States excels in total receipts and spending per arrival. 

Top 10 City Destinations for 2023

According to Euromonitor’s Top 100 City Destinations Index 2023¹, the top 10 tourist destinations are: 

1. Paris, France 
2. Dubai, United Arab Emirates 
3. Madrid, Spain 
4. Tokyo, Japan 
5. Amsterdam, the Netherlands 
6. Berlin, Germany 
7. Rome, Italy 
8. New York, United States of America 
9. Barcelona, Spain 
10. London, United Kingdom 

In contrast, the top 10 city destinations in terms of international arrivals for 2023 include:

1. Istanbul – 20.2 million arrivals
2. London – 18.8 million arrivals
3. Dubai – 16.8 million arrivals
4. Antalya – 16.5 million arrivals
5. Paris – 15.5 million arrivals
6. Hong Kong – 14.7 million arrivals
7. Bangkok – 12.2 million arrivals
8. New York – 11.7 million arrivals
9. Cancún – 10.8 million arrivals
10. Месса – 10.8 million arrivals

World Tourism Rankings by Country in terms of Total Arrivals (2023)

Rank	Country	Region	Arrivals(million)	Receipts(USD billion)	Receipts per arrival(USD)
1	France	Europe	100	68.6	686
2	Spain	Europe	85	92	1,080
3	United States	Americas	66	175.9	2,645
4	Italy	Europe	57.25	55.9	976
5	Turkey	Middle East	55.16	49.5	897
6	Mexico	Americas	42.15	30.8	731
7	United Kingdom	Europe	37	73.9	1,986
8	Germany	Europe	35	37.4	1,074
9	Greece	Europe	32.74	22.3	680
10	Austria	Europe	30.91	25	808
11	Thailand	Asia Pacific	28.15	29.7	1,055
12	Saudi Arabia	Middle East	27.42	36	1,312
13	Japan	Asia Pacific	25.07	38.6	1,539
14	Netherlands	Europe	20.3	20.2	993
15	Malaysia	Asia Pacific	20.14	14.8	735
16	Poland	Europe	18.99	15	791
17	Canada	Americas	18.34	39.2	2,138
18	Hong Kong (China)	Asia Pacific	17.16	21.1	1,228
19	Morocco	Africa	14.52	10.3	711
20	Macao (China)	Asia Pacific	14.23	32.6	2,288

Travel Patterns: A closer look at the top most travelled countries every year

Country	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023*
France	90.91	41.68	48.4	93.2	100
Spain	83.51	18.93	31.18	71.66	85.17
United States	79.44	19.21	22.28	50.87	66.48
Italy	64.51	25.19	26.89	49.81	57.25
Turkey	51.19	15.89	29.93	50.45	55.16
Mexico	45.02	24.82	31.86	38.33	42.15
United Kingdom	39.42	10.71	6.29	30.74	37.22
Germany	39.56	12.45	11.69	28.46	34.8
Greece	31.35	7.37	14.71	27.84	32.74
Austria	31.88	15.09	12.73	26.22	30.91
UAE	21.56	7.17	11.48	22.65	28.15
China	65.73	7.97	5.66	–	–

Global Tourism 2023 Key Trends

• International tourism reached 88% of pre-pandemic levels in 2023, with around 1.29 billion international arrivals (up 34% from 2022).²

• Revenue from international tourism reached $1.4 trillion in 2023, nearing 93% of the $1.5 trillion recorded in 2019.

• Forecasts for 2024 suggest international tourism will exceed pre-pandemic figures by approximately 2%.

• The Middle East led in the tourism recovery, being the only region to surpass 2019 pre-pandemic arrival numbers by 22%. 

• France has remained the world’s top destination for over three decades, drawing 100 million international visitors in 2023.

Best-Performing Region in Terms of Recovery

International tourism achieved 88% of its pre-pandemic figures in 2023, representing a recovery from the 28% observed in 2020, 31% in 2021, and 66% in 2022.³

• The Middle East led the recovery with international tourist arrivals soaring to 122% of what they were before the pandemic.

• Close behind, Africa reached 96%, Europe achieved 94%, and America showed a solid recovery at 90%.

• Asia and the Pacific also showed signs of recovery, reaching 65% of their pre-pandemic tourism levels.

What are the prospects for tourism in 2024? 

• The 2024 outlook for the global tourism industry is broadly positive with international tourist numbers expected to reach 1.5 billion, a 17.23% rise from 2023 and 2% increase from 2019. 

• Travel & Tourism set to break all records in 2024 with the contribution of tourism to the global GDP is expected to reach $11.1 trillion.

• Read more about Global Tourism Statistics & Trends and Global Tourism – 2024 Forecast.

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References

1. EuroMonitor: Top 100 City Destinations for 2023 ↩︎
2. UNWTO: Inbound Tourism Ranking – 2010 to 2023 ↩︎
3. UNWTO: Impact of the COVID-19 on international tourism ↩︎