Top 20 global destination cities in 2013

Destination cities in emerging markets in the Middle East and Asia are expanding the fastest in being connected to the rest of the world through having more flights to more cities, and more frequent flights to cities where they are already connected. This will strongly drive the growth of their visitor arrivals and cross-border spending in the coming years.

International tourism is becoming a vital and resilient export for the leading destination cities in the world and its economic and social benefits are far-reaching. While the benefits of international tourism frequently exceed what can be computed in dollar and cents

Hospitality, transport industry and food services are the primary beneficiaries of the demand international visitors. Employment in these industries also tends to be labor intensive, which makes tourist spending a potent driver of employment creation in a destination city.

International visitors to a destination city also seek new and rewarding experiences, especially in the arts, popular culture and entertainment, as well as historical and heritage sites unique to the city.

These visitors and their spending are powerful catalysts for nurturing and driving the growth of creative industries and urban cultures, while preserving the past in ways that uniquely contribute to the attractiveness of the city in question.

Index Ranking by Number of International Visitors (in millions):

1. Bangkok 15.98
2. London 15.96
3. Paris 13.92
4. Singapore 11.75
5. New York 11.52
6. Istanbul 10.37
7. Dubai 9.89
8. Kuala Lumpur 9.20
9. Hong Kong 8.72
10. Barcelona 8.41
11. Seoul 8.19
12. Milan 6.83
13. Rome 6.71
14. Shanghai 6.50
15. Amsterdam 6.35
16. Tokyo 5.80
17. Vienna 5.37
18. Taipei 5.19
19. Riyadh 5.05
20. Los Angeles 4.84

Sourced: TravelDailyNews