Top 10 Most Visited Countries in the World for 2021
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| Most Visited Countries. Photo: KnowInsiders |
In a time where travel bloggers and international travelers flood our social media feeds with incredible tales of their holidays, you can’t help but wonder just what is the most visited country in the world. Which stunning scenery do we need to see?
Where do we pin on the world map next? What are the top travel destinations?
The List of 10 Most Visited Countries in the World - Top Tourist Countries
(Last updated October 2021)
1. France: 89 Million Visitors
2. Spain: 84 Million Visitors
3. United States: 79 Million Visitors
4. China: 66 Million Visitors
5. Italy: 65 Million Visitors
6. Turkey: 51 Million Visitors
7. Mexico: 45 Million Visitors
8. Thailand: 39.7 Million Visitors
9. Germany: 39.5 Million Visitors
10. United Kingdom: 36 Million Visitors
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Which are the 10 Most Visited Countries in the World Today?
1. France: 89 Million Visitors
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| Photo: WorldAtlas |
Patched up with idyllic villages and romantic cities, France wears its culture in both iconic landmarks and ordinary settings. Few have the audacity to gild everything in gold, but the country’s noble castles, villas and cathedrals pull off ostentatious decor with a nonchalance attributed to its long centuries of royal history.
As if to match, the village-square markets, café terraces, and the daily rituals of a coffee and croissant presents a genteel sort of luxury. Don’t overlook its outdoors either; the lyrical forests of Corsica and the warm waters of the French Riviera are well-sought retreats for city-dwellers.
2. Spain: 84 Million Visitors
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| Photo: WorldAtlas |
Passion flares in Spain, a country crafted for the good life. Maybe that’s why Spain wins the 2nd place for the most visited countries in the world.
Embark on an epic road trip looping from Barcelona to Madrid – glimpses of Spain’s enduring landscapes pass by like a photographer’s reel. Gather around the Gothic quarters of Barcelona and browse the experimental works of Gaudi before taking off for the mysterious Alhambra in Granada, or the flamenco halls of Seville.
There is also Bilbao and San Sebastian in the north, ready to satiate your hunger with delicious pinxtos and avant-garde architecture.
For nature that transforms every season, visit the hills of Picos de Europa and snow-capped Sierra Nevada, the sandy reaches of Menorca. From coast to mountains and dry in-land outposts you’ll sense that for all the history lurking in the corners, Spain lives in the moment.
Attractions: La Familia Sagrada, Park Guell, The Alhambra, El Retiro, Guggenheim Museum, Real Alcazar, Mallorca’s beaches.
3. United States: 79 Million Visitors
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| Photo: Billboard |
Despite the lowest increase in tourist arrivals year on year, the US holds strong as the third most visited country in the world.
It has more famous cities than arguably any other country in the world – New York, LA, San Francisco, Miami and Chicago being just some of them. There’s plenty for culture vultures (New Orleans, Austin, Boston) and nature lovers too: Yosemite, Grand Prismatic Spring and Grand Canyon are just a few of the many national parks full of weird and wonderful things.
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4. China: 66 Million Visitors
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| Photo: Platnetware |
Some would argue that China deserves a place on our list of the world’s most divisive destinations. This seems to matter little, however, in terms of tourist numbers.
China is a behemoth on the word stage in size, population and economic strength. The world’s oldest continuous civilisation offers gleaming monuments to progress countered by rich threads of antiquity. Mist-shrouded mountains, sleepy water towns, archaeological wonders and world-class cuisine are just few of the myriad reasons why 66 million tourists flock to this country each year.
5. Italy: 65 Million Visitors
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| Photo: VietnamBiz |
Italy has culture, history and cuisine in abundance, making it a very popular tourist destination for people all around the globe. Italy has a varied landscape that suits all traveler types; there are snow-covered peaks, sprawling vineyards and glittering coastlines.
Not to mention the beautiful cities like Rome, Naples and Florence. There are 50 UNESCO World Heritage sites dotted throughout the country showcasing the best of Italian history. Some of Italy's best-loved attractions include the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Colosseum and the Pantheon.
6. Turkey: 51 Million Visitors
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| Photo: atlasandboots |
Sultry Turkey smolders with desert heat and sun-beaten ruins, backed by the enticing thrum of bustling cities. Having been conquered by the Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans, Turkey treks its story from fervent Istanbul to the romantic Mediterranean coast.
On the way are magical landscapes that range from jutting rock formations to glittering lakes and olive groves, Kacker Mountains, Patara Beach, and Lake Egirdir only few of its lyrical ruralscapes. Explore these settings via canyoning, kayaking, paragliding, hiking and more adventurous means; they’re lessons in the physical and cultural, and make Turkey one of the most visited places in the world.
As if Turkey wasn’t alluring enough, its culinary specialties draw from both inland and coastal sources. Spiced kebabs, oil-cooked vegetables and sweet baklava barely skim the trove of local eats.
Eat hearty and smile plenty.
Attractions: Topkapi Palace, Suleymaniya Mosque, Aya Sofya, Bergama Acropolis, Caves of Heaven and Hell, Nemrut Dagi National Park.
7. Mexico: 45 Million Visitors
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| Photo: Feather and the Wind |
Fiesta loving in crowds and philosophical in the quiet, the local community is empathetic hosts with fierce pride in their country. It is this pride and expressive nature that allowed for architectural triumphs (in both Teotihuacan pyramids, Maya temples and colonial towns) as well as masterful art, home to the likes of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.
Beyond the city’s endless cultural riches are also eye-catching jungles, volcanoes, deserts and coasts. Mexico’s boundless nature offers adventures for both hikers and divers. Scale Oaxaca’s mountainous ridges or dive deep into the Caribbean to embrace all it has on platter.
Attractions: Tulum, Cabo Pulmo, Palenque Ruins, Teotihuacan, Palacio de Bellas Artes, Edzna, Oaxaca City.
 Top 10 Most Visited Places In The United States As one of the largest and most diverse countries in the world, The United States boasts an amazing amount of tourist destinations. |
8. Thailand: 39.7 Million Visitors
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| Photo: My Thailand Tours |
Thailand – love it or hate it, it repeatedly appears on the list of the world’s most visited countries. A mainstay of the backpacker route through southeast Asia, Thailand benefits from strong tourist infrastructure, lashes of natural beauty and of course exquisite cuisine.
The iconic Maya Bay on Ko Phi Phi – made famous by the 2000 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio – has experienced a sustained explosion in tourism. In 2018, it was announced that the beach would be closed indefinitely to allow it to recover from tourist damage, a cautionary tale perhaps for the countries hoping to one day join this list.
9. Germany: 39.5 Million Visitors
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| atlasandboots |
Germany has been named by Lonely Planet as one of the best countries to visit in 2019, this being the 100-year anniversary of Bauhaus, a school of design that still today influences art, architecture, graphic design, interior design, industrial design and typography.
Beyond Bauhaus, there is plenty to do and see. The Reichstag, Brandenburger Gate and Berlin Wall are just some of the world-famous sights in the capital city. Further afield, the stunning Black Forest and its collection of fairytale castles are a major draw for international tourists.
10. United Kingdom: 36 Million Visitors
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| Photo: Vietnambiz |
Afternoon tea, posh accents and of course, the Queen, have built Britain into an image of refined elegance, and made it in this Top 10 of the most visited countries in the world. There is also the moody Scotland and Wales, and down-to-earth Northern Ireland. Combining the historical sites of local flavor under the “United Kingdom” banner, we have ourselves a myriad of landing points.
Great Britain’s outskirts bellow with history, trajectory pieces together by Neolithic stone circles, crumbling castles and forts, Roman baths and new-age museums.
Scotland is the wildlands, bridging the lofty lochs and tumbling isles with chains of plain but imposing fortresses and what were once battlegrounds.
Northern Ireland in contrast is clinking pints and hip cities, drawing from both modern Britain and Scottish highlands.
Attractions: Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Stonehenge, Edinburgh Castle, Roman Baths, Northumberland.
| Unfortunately, in recent days the World Tourism Organization said that international tourist numbers could fall by up to 80% in 2020 due to the COVID-19 crisis. Countries have closed their borders starting from March which led in a freefall-kind of tourism decrease. Let’s hope that 2022 will be much better for the tourism industry. |
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