International travel has been on the rise since 2017, with 10 special cities around the world picking up the majority of out-of-towners.
According to Mastercard, Bangkok, Thailand, London, England, Paris, France, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Singapore were the top five international travel destinations in the last year.
A major deciding factor when picking a travel destination is price. While travelers may snag a cheap flight and hotel accommodation, they can end up spending a fortune on food and drink and getting around. Unsurprisingly, tourists spent the most money per day in Dubai — a whopping $537.
Here’s a look at the top ten cities visited in 2017 and how much money visitors spent there daily.
Bangkok, Thailand was the most traveled-to tourist destination in 2017 with more than 20 million people flocking there from around the world
Bangkok, Thailand: $173 per day
More than 20 million people visited Bangkok, Thailand in 2017. This year, the city is expected to see an increase of more than nine per cent.
Its popularity may be due in part to the fact that Bangkok is one of the cheaper international trips to take. While a flight may run you between $500 and $800, it doesn’t cost much to enjoy yourself. On average, travelers stayed 4.7 nights and spent just $173 per day.
In 2017, London, England proved to be an affordable and worth-while destination for international travelers
London, England: $153 per day
In 2017, London, England saw more than 19 million international visitors. It’s expected to see a three per cent increase in 2018, likely due to the affordability.
Although London is often touted as one of the pricier places to live and work, travelers spent an average of $153 a day. Most people visited for about 5.8 nights, according to Mastercard.
Paris, France saw more than 17 million international travelers in 2017 and is expected to receive an increase of 2.9 per cent more
Paris, France: $301 per day
Paris, France is the third most popular destination with international travelers. In 2017, 17.44 million people visited the City of Light.
They’re projected to see a 2.9 per cent increase in international visits this year. Most people visit Paris for a little over two days and they spend an average of $301 per day.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates was one of the most popular tourist destinations for international travelers in 2017
Dubai, United Arab Emirates: $537 per day
Last year, Dubai, United Arab Emirates hosted about 15.79 million international visitors. They’re expecting to see an increase of 5.5 per cent in 2018.
Most travelers visited Dubai for a brief 3.5 nights. Average daily spending was about $537 a day.
Singapore was visited by more than 13 million international travelers seeking adventure in 2017
Singapore: $268 per day
Singapore was popular with international travelers in 2017 with 13.91 million people flocking there from their respective corners of the world. Mastercard projected there will be a four per cent increase in visits in 2018.
On average, visitors to Singapore spent about $286 daily. Most travelers stayed about 4.3 nights.
New York hosted more than 13 million international travelers in 2017 and will see an increase of more than four per cent
New York, US: $147 per day
New York was the only Top 10 travel destination in the United States. It saw about 13.13 million visitors in 2017 and is expected to receive an increase of a little over four per cent in 2018.
Most travelers stayed 8.3 nights. They typically spent $147 per day.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia drew in 12.58 million people in 2017 — a figure that’s expected to increase by 7.5 per cent in 2018
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: $124 per day
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia was popular with international travelers in 2017 with 12.58 million people jetting there at some point. The capitol city can expect to see an increase of 7.5 per cent in visitors by the time 2018 is done.
Kuala Lumpur is popular for many reasons, but one of them may be how affordable it is. On average, people visited for 5.5 nights and spent just $124 per day.
Tokyo, Japan took in more than 11 million international visitors in 2017 at low cost to them
Tokyo, Japan: $154 per day
More than 11 million people from all over the world visited Tokyo, Japan in 2017. The city will see an increase of just 1.6 per cent in 2018, Mastercard reported.
Most people who visited Tokyo in 2017 stayed a little over six nights. An average day cost about $154.
Istanbul, Turkey was among the most popular destinations with international travelers in 2017 and its expecting a huge increase in 2018
Istanbul, Turkey: $108 per day
Istanbul, Turkey was wildly popular with travelers in 2017 and it’s expected to rise exponentially in 2018. More than 10 million people made the journey there last year.
Mastercard has predicted that 19.7 per cent more travelers will head there in 2018.
The average visitor spent 5.8 nights there and spent a mere $108 per day. The sheer affordability is likely a major factor in Istanbul’s popularity with those bitten by the travel bug.
Seoul, South Korea was the only top 10 destination that saw a decrease in international visitation in 2017
Seoul, South Korea: $181 per day
Seoul, South Korea is the only city in the top 10 travel destinations that saw a decrease in the number of visitors they had in 2017. About 9.54 million people traveled there.
Experts predict the city will see an increase of about six per cent by the end of 2018.
The average traveler comes to Seoul for a little over four nights and spends close to $181.