The 15 Most-Visited Countries in the World

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The world is big, and there are countless places to explore. Some countries attract many more visitors than others. Countries that are popular with tourists often have a lot to see and do, as well as friendly people and great food.

These countries have the most visitors every year.

Methodology

Tourist photographer woman taking pictures photo in Death Valley desert landscape of Zabriskie Point in Death Valley National Park, California, USA. Young woman on travel in United States.
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Insider Monkey determined this list of the most visited countries in the world by accessing the dashboard set up by the United Nations World Tourism Organization. Since 2022 statistics haven’t been finalized yet, they relied on 2021 data. They checked the number of visitors for each country and expenditure by tourists in the country in USD, assigning 80% weightage to the former criterion and 20% to the latter.

France

Paris Eiffel Tower and river Seine at sunset in Paris, France. Eiffel Tower is one of the most iconic landmarks of Paris.
Image Credit: Catarina Belova/Shutterstock.

 

There’s no shortage of things to see in France. From the Louvre to the Eiffel Tower to the gorgeous seaside towns, people are eager to visit France. About 48.4 million people visited in 2021.

Spain

View of the city from Park Guell in Barcelona, Spain
Image Credit: Georgios Tsichlis/Shutterstock.

In 2021, about 31.2 million people visited this laid-back country. From historic sights to stunning beaches, visitors love to visit this country full of beauty and history.

Mexico

Dancers of typical Mexican dances from the central region of Mexico, doing their performance in the street adorned with colored umbrellas.
Image Credit: Marco Ortiz-MOF/Shutterstock.

When people are looking for a relaxing vacation, they often choose to visit Mexico. The warm weather, exotic food, and seaside scenery attracted 31.9 million people in 2021.

Turkey

Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii), Bosporus and asian side skyline, Istanbul, Turkey
Image Credit: Boris Stroujko/Shutterstock.

About 29.9 people visited this country in 2021. The low price tag of a vacation here attracts a lot of visitors. The many historic sites and welcoming people are also factors in the decision to visit Turkey.

The United States of America

Cloudy day of Los Angeles downtown skyline and palm trees in foreground.
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The lively reputation of the U.S. has made it a popular destination for people the world over. It has some of the world’s most popular cities, and there are many cultures to enjoy. In 2021, more than 22 million people visited.

Italy

Morning view of Amalfi cityscape on coast line of mediterranean sea, Italy
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The scenery in Italy is hard to beat, bringing almost 27 million people to the country in 2021. Historical sites, the picturesque countryside, and the food make this one of the most popular places to visit.

Greece

Europe travel vacation fun summer woman dancing in freedom with arms up happy in Oia, Santorini, Greece island.
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From the architecture to the scenic seaside towns, people flock to Greece during the tourist season. In 2021, about 14.7 million visited this ancient country to experience its history.

United Arab Emirates

Panoramic view of Dubai Marina skyscrapers and JBR beacg with luxury buildings and resorts in one of the United Arab Emirates travel spots and resorts in Dubai aerial view
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The UAE has one of the most-visited cities in the world, Dubai. Visitors to this country want to see this glitzy city that was created out of a bleak desert. The country got 11.5 million visitors in 2021.

Germany

Aerial view of Berlin skyline and Spree river in beautiful evening light at sunset in summer, Germany
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The history and architecture of Germany, along with the unique food, bring many visitors to this storybook country. From castles to checkpoints, 11.7 visitors came to experience Germany in 2021.

Austria

Beautiful of Aerial panoramic view in a Autumn season at a historic city of Salzburg with Salzach river in beautiful golden evening light sky and colorful of autumn at sunset, Salzburger Land, Austria
Image Credit: Nok Lek Travel Lifestyle/Shutterstock.

This Alpine country is well-known for its amazing mountain vistas and bright blue waters. In 2021, 12.7 million people visited this spectacular country to see both its gleaming cities and its quaint countryside.

Croatia

The aerial view of Dubrovnik, a city in southern Croatia fronting the Adriatic Sea, Europe
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This seaside country attracts visitors from around the globe for its scenery. It’s a world-class destination for its unique ocean views. About 10.6 million people visited it in 2021.

Portugal

Palace of Pena in Sintra. Lisbon, Portugal. Travel Europe, holidays in Portugal. Panoramic View Of Pena Palace, Sintra, Portugal. Pena National Palace, Sintra, Portugal.
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From its famous vineyards to its stunning landscapes, there’s a lot to see when you visit Portugal. About 9.6 million people visited it in 2021 for the many experiences possible there.

Poland

Wawel Castle during the Day, Krakow, Poland
Image Credit: RomanSlavik.com/Shutterstock.

 

Poland has had a difficult past, but today it’s one of Europe’s fastest-growing economies. Beautiful architecture in the cities and quaint villages in the country have led to 9.7 million people visiting this country in 2021.

United Kingdom

Big Ben, Westminster Bridge and red double decker bus in London, England, United Kingdom
Image Credit: Sergii Figurnyi/Shutterstock.

Who doesn’t love the palaces and history of the U.K.? With several distinct cultures in this small country, you can experience something different each day of your trip. In 2021, 6.2 million people visited.

Hungary

Parliament building in Budapest with fantastic perfect sky and reflection in water. calm Danube river. Night view on Parliament building over delta of Danube river.
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About 7.2 million people visited this small country in 2021. It has some of the most beautiful cities in the world, and its countryside is another big draw. It’s also very inexpensive to take a vacation here.

The 15 States Bursting at the Seams With People

 

Farming and cultivations in Latin America. Portrait of middle aged hispanic farmer sitting proud in his tractor at sunset, holding the steering wheel. He looks at the camera and smiles happy.
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Some states have a high population density and many population centers. Others are mostly rural and may have little population. The difference between the top and bottom states in terms of population is enormous.

According to World Population Review, these are the top 15 states for population.

The 15 States Bursting at the Seams With People

These 15 States Are the Safest States in the USA

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Some states are safer than others, and this is a big influence on where people move. Places with a low level of public safety have a lot of crime, and this can prevent the public from wanting to move there and even visit.

There are various types of crime, with violent crime and property crime being highly important to the public safety rating of each state.

These 15 States Are the Safest States in the USA

The 11 Most Dishonest Cities in America

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Picture this: you find a stack of cash. Do you pocket the unexpected windfall, or do you take the noble route and hand it in to the police?

In this scenario, a significant 47% of Americans admit they would keep the found money, assuming no one saw their stroke of luck. Interestingly, gender doesn’t play a big role, with both women (47.4%) and men (46.6%) expressing similar inclinations to be tempted by the cash.

The 11 Most Dishonest Cities in America

The 15 Countries That Have More Filthy Rich People Than Others

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There are rich people around the world, but there are some areas that have more wealthy residents than others. When looking at how many millionaires there are in each country, it isn’t even remotely even.

There are major wealth centers in certain countries that represent far more wealth than exists in other areas. It’s amazing how many millionaires there are; this is where they’re located.

The 15 Countries That Have More Filthy Rich People Than Others

15 Countries That You Will Probably Regret Traveling To

 

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There are some countries where the majority of visitors love their experience. However, there are other countries that people come back from and never recommend to anyone. These countries often have circumstances that make the trip miserable so that visitors can’t wait to leave and go home.

15 Countries That You Will Probably Regret Traveling To

 

 

 

 

Author: Lizz Shepherd

Bio:

Lizz Shepherd is a freelance writer living in Alabama.

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