Just last year, a billion international trips were taken.
This is according to the latest report by Euromonitor, a global market research provider, in their ranking of the 2017 Top 100 City Destinations.
Topping the list of most-visited cities in the world is the land of dim sum. For the ninth year running, Hong Kong is officially the most visited city in the world, with 26 million visitors in 2016. This number is expected to rise to 44 million by 2025. Contributing to its status is the swell in Chinese outbound tourism and its close proximity to the mainland.
According to the rankings, the top 15 most visited cities are:
1. Hong Kong: 26.6 million visitors
2. Bangkok: 21.2 million visitors
3. London: 19.2 million visitors
4. Singapore: 16.6 million visitors
5. Macau: 15.4 million visitors
6. Dubai: 14.9 million visitors
7. Paris: 14.4 million visitors
8. New York: 12.7 million visitors
9. Shenzhen: 12.6 million visitors
10. Kuala Lumpur: 12.3 million visitors
11. Phuket: 10.6 million visitors
12. Rome: 9.4 million visitors
13. Tokyo: 9.3 million visitors
14. Taipei: 9.2 million visitors
15. Istanbul: 9.2 million visitors
Dominating the global destinations ranking are Asian cities, with 41 cities among the top 100. In 2025, the number of Asian cities on the list is predicted to grow to 47. Singapore is expected to overtake London, making the top three cities completely Asian.