By Bruno Venditti
The development of commercial aviation over the last few decades has made much of the world accessible to many. In 2023 alone, global inbound tourist arrivals reached 1.3 billion.
This graphic depicts the most visited countries in 2023, based on the total number of foreigners entering each country. The data is from to The World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) and the National Immigration Administration of China.
Europe is the most sought-after destination, drawing the most international visitors worldwide. Seven of the top 10 destinations are in the region.
At the top of the list, France received 100 million visitors last year. The country is expected to repeat the number in 2024, influenced mainly by the 2024 Paris Olympics taking place in July and August.
Rank Country Region Tourists (millions)
1 🇫🇷 France Europe 100
2 🇪🇸 Spain Europe 85
3 🇺🇸 United States North America 67
4 🇮🇹 Italy Europe 57
5 🇹🇷 Türkiye Europe/Asia 55
6 🇲🇽 Mexico North America 42
7 🇬🇧 United Kingdom Europe 37
8 🇨🇳 China Asia 36
9 🇩🇪 Germany Europe 35
10 🇬🇷 Greece Europe 33
Spain followed France with 85 million visits in 2023, and the United States came in third place with 67 million tourists arriving in that year.
China has been among the top destinations for years, but the number of visitors has dropped drastically in recent years due to COVID-19 restrictions. Foreign visitors to China dropped from 65.7 million in 2019 to only 35.5 million in 2023 after the country adopted stringent restrictions.
No African, South American, or Oceanian countries appear on our list.
Credit: Visual Capitalist
