With two-thirds of 2017 behind us, it's time for an international tourism roundup. Mastercard's Global Destination Cities Index, now in its 9th year, ranks the top 132 most visited cities worldwide based on international visitor nights booked to date. This data-driven forecast reveals key trends. Starting from the bottom of the top 30: Johannesburg (30th, 4.8 million), Berlin (29th), Madrid (25th), Los Angeles (22nd), Miami (21st), and Prague (20th, 6.4 million).
From 20th to 10th, standout destinations include Vienna (19th), Shanghai (18th), Rome (17th), Milan (14th), Amsterdam (13th), Barcelona (12th), and Istanbul (projected 9.24 million visitors). The top 10 crosses the 10 million mark at 9th place with Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (12.1 million). Hong Kong takes 10th, followed closely by New York, Seoul, Tokyo (12.5 million), Singapore, and Dubai in 4th (16 million). Paris secures 3rd with 16.1 million visitors, trailing London's 20 million and Bangkok's leading 20.2 million as Thailand's capital claims the top spot.
The full ranking is available on The Independent. Which of these vibrant cities is on your 2017 travel itinerary?
