Travel and Tourism Statistics: What are the Most Popular Countries to Visit? (2023)

Dec 02, 2020

Updated: February 2022

With the rise of globalization, international tourism has become a thriving industry. Being able to hop on a plane and be in a different country in a matter of hours has made international tourism easily accessible. Tourism around the world has increased in recent years as people can easily research different destinations, find the most scenic places, and be able to sort tourism by country a lot easier. This way, one can visit popular destinations and plan their trip out a lot simpler.

Article Contents

Travel and Tourism Statistics / How Many People Travel a Year?
World Tourism Rankings / What are the Most Popular Countries to Visit?

International Travel is always something that is on someone's bucket list. Taking in a foreign country's culture, food, art, and festivities is a great way to learn and appreciate the country's rich culture and lifestyle. Since 1950, international tourism has ballooned to 1.4 billion. Tourism statistics show that people have similar tastes in traveling and planning their trip. France, Spain, and the United States were the top 3 destinations for foreign tourism. France and Spain were popular for their proximity, and the United States is also in close proximity to other popular countries. Once tourism data is broken down by region, it can paint a picture of popular tourist rankings, tourism by country, and global tourism as a whole.

Below you will find the most visited countries in the world and other tourism statistics.

Statistics (Editors Picks)

10 Most-Visited Countries in the World in 2019
1. France — 89.4 Million Visitors
2. Spain — 83.7 Million Visitors
3. United States — 79.3 Million Visitors
4. China — 65.7 Million Visitors
5. Italy — 64.5 Million Visitors
6. Turkey — 51.2 Million Visitors
7. Mexico — 45 Million Visitors
8. Thailand — 39.8 Million Visitors
9. Germany — 39.6 Million Visitors
10. United Kingdom — 39.4 Million Visitors
In 1950, there were only 25 million tourist arrivals, according to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). In 2018, that number has increased to 1.4 billion international arrivals per year. That's a 56 percent increase!
International Tourism is defined as tourism that crosses national borders. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as “traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business, and other purposes."

Travel and Tourism Statistics

How Many People Travel a Year?

In 1950, there were only 25 million tourist arrivals, according to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). In just 68 short years, that number has increased to 1.4 billion international arrivals per year. That's a 56 percent increase!

People love to travel. It's hard to believe that in 64 years, tourism has gone from 25 million to 1.4 billion international arrivals per year— a 56 percent increase. Even during a pandemic, people are still finding small ways to travel and get away from their regular life. People travel for many reasons. To experience new environments, new cultures, or just to find some peace and quiet in their work lives. The World Tourism Organization defines traveling as “traveling to and staying in places outside their normal environment.”

Key Statistics:

In 1950, there were only 25 million tourist arrivals, according to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). In just 68 short years, that number has increased to 1.4 billion international arrivals per year. That's a 56 percent increase!
International Tourism is defined as tourism that crosses national borders. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as “traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business, and other purposes."

Sources:
https://ourworldindata.org/tourism
https://www.bea.gov/data/special-topics/travel-and-tourism
https://www.farandwide.com/s/most-visited-countries-792c34d8901f4bc9

World Tourism Ranking

What are the Most Popular Countries to Visit?

Different people want to travel to different countries, places, or points of interest. When it comes to deciding where to travel to next, it can go without saying that a lot of people have similar countries on their bucket list. France has continued to be on the top of the list for many people, bringing in an outstanding 89.4 million tourists a year. Spain comes in second with 83.7 million tourists, and finally, the United States brings in 79.3 million tourists a year. These three countries offer great ways to travel within the country, and it makes sense why they would be high on the list. A 6-and-a-half-hour train ride can take you from Paris to Barcelona. While the United States offers many different transit systems that make traveling in a city a lot easier. While traveling internationally, it would make sense that people would want to take advantage of their trip and visit neighboring countries while nearby. In the Asia-Pacific region, India, Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia are all on the list for most traveled countries. All of those countries have different cultures, art, food, and history while also being within a short flight or train ride away.

The most popular countries visited in 2019 are below:

10 Most-Visited Countries in the World in 2019

France — 89.4 Million Visitors.
Spain — 83.7 Million Visitors
United States — 79.3 Million Visitors
China — 65.7 Million Visitors
Italy — 64.5 Million Visitors
Turkey — 51.2 Million Visitors
Mexico — 45 Million Visitors
Thailand — 39.8 Million Visitors
Germany — 39.6 Million Visitors
United Kingdom — 39.4 Million Visitors

Below are the countries with the most international tourists in 2019 broken down by region:

Tourism in Africa by Country