Bangkok reigns as the most visited city by international tourists in 2023
Bangkok has taken the top spot as the most visited city by international travellers in the previous year according to Travelness, a popular travel website. The ranking was based on the Global Destination Cities Index gathered by Mastercard, which considered the total number of foreign tourists who stayed overnight and their expenditure.
In the previous year, The Thai capital Bangkok welcomed 22.78 million foreign visitors. On average, these tourists stayed for 4.7 nights and spent an average of 5,938 baht (US$173) per day. Paris, the capital of France, came in second, with 19.10 million foreign tourists. London, England’s capital, was third with 19.09 million foreign visitors, reports Sanook.
Aside from Bangkok, the Thai cities of Phuket and Pattaya also made it to the top 20 most visited cities globally. Phuket ranked 14th with 9.89 million foreign visitors, while Pattaya was 15th with 9.44 million foreign visitors.
The full list of the 15 most visited cities by foreign tourists in 2023 is as follows…
- Bangkok: 22.78 million visitors
- Paris: 19.10 million visitors
- London: 19.09 million visitors
- Dubai: 15.93 million visitors
- Singapore: 14.67 million visitors
- Kuala Lumpur: 13.79 million visitors
- New York: 13.60 million visitors
- Istanbul: 13.40 million visitors
- Tokyo: 12.93 million visitors
- Antalya: 12.41 million visitors
- Seoul: 11.25 million visitors
- Osaka: 10.14 million visitors
- Mecca: 10 million visitors
- Phuket: 9.89 million visitors
- Pattaya: 9.44 million visitors
Remaining on the list are Milan in Italy with 9.10 million visitors, Barcelona in Spain with 9.09 million visitors, Palma de Mallorca with 8.96 million visitors, Bali with 8.26 million visitors, and Hong Kong with 8.23 million visitors.
Bangkok’s popularity as a tourist destination is not surprising given its rich history, vibrant street life, and famous Thai hospitality. Its high ranking highlights the city’s appeal to international tourists and underscores the important contribution of tourism to Thailand’s economy.
In related news, the Thai tourism minister welcomes Chinese influencers to boost 2024 travel. On December 26 Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol, the Thai Minister of Tourism and Sports, extended a warm welcome to a large contingent of Chinese media representatives and influencers.
