- Some countries are considering easing coronavirus lockdowns to reopen their borders.
- International tourist numbers could fall by up to 80% in 2020, the World Tourism Organization says.
- Pre-crisis, France was the world’s most visited country.
With lockdowns beginning to ease, many countries are starting to think about how to restart an engine vital to their economies: tourism.
Even so, international tourist numbers could fall by up to 80% in 2020, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
But, in a normal year, where are the most visited destinations?
France saw the most tourists in 2018.
Image: World Tourism Organization via the World Bank
France is the world’s number one destination for international tourists, the most recent figures from the UNWTO show. Almost 90 million people visited the country in 2018.
Spain isn’t far behind, with over 82 million visitors. The United States, China and Italy complete the top five.
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As countries seek to recover, some of the more long-term economic, business, environmental, societal and technological challenges and opportunities are just beginning to become visible.
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These countries are also among the hardest-hit by COVID-19, with the US, Italy, France and Spain (along with the United Kingdom and Brazil) to date recording the world’s highest number of confirmed coronavirus deaths.
Lockdowns caused havoc in these economies – as they have in many others around the globe – and countries reliant on travel and tourism have seen “particularly large” disruptions, according to the International Monetary Fund.
Of the top five most visited nations, Spain in particular will be feeling the heat in this respect – international tourists spend about $81 billion in the country annually. That’s over 16% of its total exports, while the same figure is under 10% for France and Italy.
Those numbers pale in comparison to Saint Lucia, though, where international tourism receipts make up more than 81% of total exports.
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Global travel and tourism was an $8.9 trillion (US$) business in 2019. Moreover, though the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced that number to roughly a quarter of its previous value, all signs point to tourism continuing to grow, expand, and evolve. Every country on Earth has something to offer international visitors, from the pyramids in Egypt to the rainforests of Brazil or the sidewalk cafes of Paris—but which countries attract the most visitors of all? Most of the countries with the highest tourism rates are located in Europe, whose rich history, architecture, and cultural influence make it an appealing destination for many travelers. Countries positioned on or near a body of water are also very popular, particularly those that offer a relaxed, low-key atmosphere mixed with beautiful beaches and ocean views.
Top 10 Countries Most Popular with Tourists (by number of 2019 visitor arrivals)
The most popular tourist destination in the world for more than 30 years, France offers a myriad of attractions: the Eiffel tower, countless world-class restaurants, the Musée du Louvre, the Palace of Versailles, the Notre-Dame cathedral, the beaches of the Côte d'Azur, and of course, Disneyland Paris. Moreover, the lushly beautiful countryside is full of storybook villages, mountains, vineyards, and the occasional castle. One can even view prehistoric cave paintings in Lascaux. Paris, France's capital, is the most visited city in Europe, receiving 38 million tourists in 2019.
Spain is another tourist destination overflowing with interesting attractions. Antoni Gaudi's Sagrada Familia cathedral and other works in Barcelona, the Guggenheim museum, the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens, Europe's largest aquarium (the lily-shaped L'Oceanogràfic), the beaches of Gran Canaria, and La Rambla in Barcelona. Spain is also home to El Teide, an ancient—but not entirely dormant—volcano, which visitors can hike around at the Parque Nacional del Teide on the Spanish island Tenerife.
England's capital city, London, attracts visitors with a wide range of sights including Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, and the British Museum, which includes the largest collection of Egyptian artifacts outside of Cairo. Beyond London, England offers the mysterious Stonehenge, the Beatles' birthplace in Liverpool, the quaint beauty of the Cotswolds, the sci-fi botanical gardens of the Eden Project, and more. Speaking of more, the UK also includes three additional subdivisions. First is Scotland, with the charming city of Edinburgh, moody Loch Ness and Inverness, the scenic highlands, and the historic St. Andrews golf course. Next comes charming Wales and its castles, scenery, and capital city of Cardiff. Finally, Northern Ireland boasts attractions including the nightlife of Dublin's Temple Bar district, the glens and coastline of Antrim, and one of Europe's most compelling natural wonders: the Giant's Causeway.
The Mediterranean nation Turkey balances captivating man-made attractions such as Hagia Sophia mosque and Topkapı Palace with archaeological wonders such as the Biblical city of Ephesus, the fairy city of Cappadocia, and the desolate fallen splendor of Mount Nemrut. It also has more than its share of natural wonders, including the famous beaches at Ölüdeniz and Patara, the mineral pools at Pamukkale, and the Mediterranean coastline itself.
The South Asian country of Thailand is also known as the "Land of Smiles", and offers both modern comforts and wild adventure. Thailand's capital, Bangkok, receives over 20 million visitors every year. Popular attractions include the Grand Palace in Bangkok; beaches including Railay, Long, and Monkey beach; the ancient city Ayutthaya and ornate Buddhist wat Coi Suthep, and national parks including Khao Yai (where wild elephants roam) and the otherworldly Khao Sok.
The impact of COVID-19 on travel and tourism
The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020-21 had a devastating effect on the travel and tourism industry. According to a report released by the World Travel & Tourism Council, the pandemic cost the industry an estimated US$ 4.5 trillion in 2020, which resulted in the loss of 62 million tourism-dependent jobs. Data from the United Nations World Tourism Organization backs this up. Consider the following table:
International tourist arrivals (in thousands of visitors):
| 2019 | 118,044 | 120,666 | 136,344 | 163,255 | 164,841 | 131,868 |
| 2020 | 3,877 | 5,508 | 12,279 | 34,413 | 39,599 | 30,397 |
| 2021 | 17,310 | 22,528 | 31,073 | 54,548 | 61,099 | 49,355 |
Compared to 2019, tourism dropped by approximately 74% in 2020, with a total of a billion fewer travelers over the course of the year--making 2020 the worst year on record for tourism. The UNTWO's own estimates registered a loss of US$ 1.3 trillion in lost revenues and 100-120 million jobs either lost or at risk.
The impact has been particularly damaging in countries that rely heavily upon tourism as part of their GDP. Lost tourism in Macau, one of China's special administrative regions, led to a 79.3% drop in year-on-year gambling revenues, which caused overall GDP for 2020 to fall 43.1% compared to the previous year.
While tourism has picked up slightly in 2021, they still fall far short of the pre-pandemic numbers. Late 2020 projections were hopeful that the industry would be back on track by late 2021, but the ongoing nature of the pandemic has thwarted that optimism. As of late 2021, most estimates do not expect the industry to rebound to 2019 (pre-COVID) levels until sometime in 2023 at the earliest.
Here are the 10 countries with the most tourism:
- France (89,400,000)
- Spain (83,700,000)
- United States (79,300,000)
- China (65,700,000)
- Italy (64,500,000)
- Turkey (51,200,000)
- Mexico (45,000,000)
- Thailand (39,800,000)
- Germany (39,600,000)
- United Kingdom (39,400,000)
| France | 89,400,000 |
| Spain | 83,700,000 |
| United States | 79,300,000 |
| China | 65,700,000 |
| Italy | 64,500,000 |
| Turkey | 51,200,000 |
| Mexico | 45,000,000 |
| Thailand | 39,800,000 |
| Germany | 39,600,000 |
| United Kingdom | 39,400,000 |
| Japan | 32,300,000 |
| Austria | 31,900,000 |
| Greece | 31,300,000 |
| Malaysia | 26,100,000 |
| Portugal | 24,600,000 |
| Russia | 24,400,000 |
| Hong Kong | 23,800,000 |
| Poland | 22,100,000 |
| Canada | 22,100,000 |
| Netherlands | 20,100,000 |
| Vietnam | 18,000,000 |
| India | 17,900,000 |
| South Korea | 17,500,000 |
| Croatia | 17,400,000 |
| Hungary | 16,900,000 |
| United Arab Emirates | 16,700,000 |
| Indonesia | 15,500,000 |
| Singapore | 15,100,000 |
| Czech Republic | 14,300,000 |
| Ukraine | 14,200,000 |
| Saudi Arabia | 13,600,000 |
| Denmark | 13,300,000 |
| Morocco | 12,900,000 |
| Taiwan | 11,900,000 |
| Switzerland | 11,800,000 |
| Egypt | 11,300,000 |
| Ireland | 10,900,000 |
| South Africa | 10,200,000 |
| Australia | 9,500,000 |
| Tunisia | 9,400,000 |
| Bulgaria | 9,300,000 |
| Belgium | 9,300,000 |
| Philippines | 8,300,000 |
| Sweden | 7,400,000 |
| Argentina | 7,400,000 |
| Iran | 7,300,000 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 6,900,000 |
| Uzbekistan | 6,700,000 |
| Cambodia | 6,600,000 |