Buzz
Bangkok has recently been acknowledged as the top tourist attraction globally, with an estimated 15.98 million visitors expected to visit the Thai capital this year, according to Mastercard.
Mastercard collects data from governments, banks, public agencies, and airlines, predicting Bangkok to surpass London as the world's leading tourist destination.
This Mastercard report also marks the first time an Asian city claims the top position in the tourism rankings. London follows closely with an estimated 15.96 million visitors in 2013, and Paris ranks third with 13.92 million visitors. The ranking includes 132 cities.
Other Asian cities in the top 20 best destinations include: Singapore at fourth place with 11.75 million visitors, Kuala Lumpur at eighth with 9.2 million visitors, Hong Kong at ninth with 8.72 million visitors, Seoul at eleventh with 8.19 million visitors, Shanghai at fourteenth with 6.5 million visitors, Tokyo at sixteenth with 5.8 million visitors, and Taipei with 5.19 million visitors.
While Bangkok, New York, and London continue to welcome increasing numbers of visitors, Paris experiences a slight 0.7% decline in tourist numbers.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand states that each foreign visitor stays an average of 9.6 days and spends around 4,100 baht (approximately 2.9 million VND) in Thailand.
Recently, destinations in Asia-Pacific are attracting more visitors than cities on other continents. The prediction suggests that the influx of tourists to Asia will continue, not only from other continents but also from within the Asian region itself.
Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City do not rank among the top 20 global destinations, nor are they in the top 10 destinations in Asia. However, Mastercard's report mentions Ho Chi Minh City ranking 18th in the list of 20 cities with the best tourist growth from 2009 to 2013.
***
Source: Travel Guide Mytour
MytourJanuary 3, 2014
