The World's Most Visited Cities for Tourism

The allure of bustling metropolises.

The appeal of city life remains strong in 2018, with an estimated 1.4 billion tourist visits to urban areas worldwide this year.

Euromonitor International, a UK-based market research firm, has published its Top 100 City Destinations 2018 report, ranking the most popular cities globally based on international tourist arrivals.

Once again, Hong Kong leads the rankings, with nearly 30 million visitors expected to travel there this year, over half of whom will be from mainland China.

Travel Trends are on the Upward Swing

Global air traffic has been consistently growing over the years, and 2018 is no different. According to Euromonitor International’s study of 600 cities, international arrivals are forecasted to rise by 5% this year.

Asia remains the dominant force in global tourism, with 41 cities from the continent making it into the top 100.

Bangkok retains its position as the second most-visited city, with nearly 24 million tourists expected in 2018. Singapore, Macau, Kuala Lumpur, and Shenzhen also feature in the top 10.

Euromonitor International notes that 'Japan and India are seeing impressive growth in inbound city tourism,' pointing out that cities like Osaka and Chiba have experienced average annual growth rates of 43% and 35%, respectively, from 2012 to 2017.

Beyond the Asian Continent

London remains steady in third place, with nearly 21 million international visitors expected. Its European counterparts – Paris, with 16.9 million, and Rome, with 9.7 million – hold the sixth and fifteenth spots, respectively.

Dubai, a major travel hub, ranks seventh with 16.7 million tourists. However, Euromonitor International highlights that the Middle East and Africa have the lowest overall performance, with cities like Jerba, Sousse, and Sharm el Sheikh falling off the list in recent years due to the effects of terrorist attacks.

Cairo is making a strong recovery, securing the 50th position on this year’s list, with 4.9 million international visitors anticipated.

Emerging Destinations to Keep an Eye On

Euromonitor International highlights Mumbai, Porto, Osaka, and Jerusalem as emerging cities to watch.

Mumbai is set to join the Asian top 10 next year, with a projected 19% increase in arrivals. The city is preparing for the growth, with the first phase of the new Navi Mumbai International Airport scheduled to open in 2019.

After a decline between 2013 and 2015, Jerusalem is on track for a 38% growth in 2018, thanks to what Euromonitor International calls 'relative stability and a robust marketing campaign.'

The US Faces a Challenging Year

Euromonitor International concludes that the US has faced a 'turbulent year' in terms of tourism.

New York City, with 1 million expected visitors, is the only city from the Americas in the top 20. Miami ranks 22nd, while Los Angeles and Las Vegas come in at 27th and 28th, respectively.

Euromonitor International notes that despite the US National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) reporting a 5% drop in visitor numbers for 2017 – often attributed to the 'Trump effect' – the NTTO has since revised its data.

In reality, there was a 2% increase in visitors to the US in 2017. While this growth is relatively modest compared to other regions, Euromonitor International states that 'most US cities showed steady growth' this year.

Top 20 Cities Based on 2017 Arrivals and 2018 Projections

1. Hong Kong: 27,880,300 visitors (2017) / 29,827,200 visitors (2018)

2. Bangkok, Thailand: 22,453,900 visitors (2017) / 23,688,800 visitors (2018)

3. London, England: 19,827,800 visitors (2017) / 20,715,900 visitors (2018)

4. Singapore: 17,618,800 visitors (2017) / 18,551,200 visitors (2018)

5. Macau: 17,337,200 visitors (2017) / 18,931,400 visitors (2018)

6. Paris, France: 15,834,200 visitors (2017) / 16,863,500 visitors (2018)

7. Dubai, UAE: 15,790,000 visitors (2017) / 16,658,500 visitors (2018)

8. New York City, USA: 13,100,000 visitors (2017) / 13,500,000 visitors (2018)

9. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: 12,843,500 visitors (2017) / 13,434,000 visitors (2018)

10. Shenzhen, China: 12,075,100 visitors (2017) / 12,437,300 visitors (2018)

11. Phuket, Thailand: 11,613,100 visitors (2017) / 11,945,500 visitors (2018)

12. Istanbul, Turkey: 10,730,300 visitors (2017) / 12,121,100 visitors (2018)

13. Delhi, India: 10,157,000 visitors (2017) / 12,505,300 visitors (2018)

14. Tokyo, Japan: 9,549,400 visitors (2017) / 9,896,300 visitors (2018)

15. Rome, Italy: 9,531,600 visitors (2017) / 9,703,200 visitors (2018)

16. Antalya, Turkey: 9,482,400 visitors (2017) / 10,729,300 visitors (2018)

17. Taipei, Taiwan: 9,273,300 visitors (2017) / 9,783,300 visitors (2018)

18. Guangzhou, China: 9,004,800 visitors (2017) / 9,392,000 visitors (2018)

19. Mumbai, India: 8,984,900 visitors (2017) / 10,670,100 visitors (2018)

20. Prague, Czech Republic: 8,806,700 visitors (2017) / 9,038,900 visitors (2018)