The most-visited cities in the world were recently revealed, according to Mastercard’s Global Destination Cities Index.
For the past decade this annual study has highlighted the favourite destinations for travellers – Bangkok took out the top spot for the third year in a row, with 20.05 million international visitors in 2018. London came in at number two, with 19.83 million visitors, despite its relatively small size. The reason has been accredited – in part, at least – to the Brexit vote, with more people heading to the UK capital thanks to a weakened pound.
The study also includes the average length of stay and the average spend per day. With an average of 8.3 nights per stay, New York City took out top place when it comes to how long people stay in the city.
The average spend in most cities ranged between US$100 (AU$139) and US$300 (AU$416). However, Dubai – the city with the highest spend – smashed this figure, with visitors spending an average of US$537 (AU$744) per day.
“Without a doubt, travellers are a critical driver of economic activity in these destination cities,” said Miguel Gamiño Jr., EVP for Global Cities at Mastercard, in an email to Forbes. “They’re spending on everything from hotels and taxis to restaurants and spas to clothes and other goods.”