Mastercard Crowns London as World’s Top International Tourist Destination
July 10, 2014
According to the Mastercard Global Cities Index report, London has been crowned the most popular international tourist destination in the world ahead of Bangkok and Paris, and is projected to host 18.7 million international visitors in 2014. Now in its fourth year, the index provides a ranking of the 132 most traveled cities from around the world.
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said, “With nearly 19 million visitors this year, London is the world’s favorite place to visit. Our city perfectly combines history, heritage, arts and culture, not to mention vast amounts of green space and major events that are the envy of the planet.”
Europe boasts two of the top five cities, London and Paris, with Bangkok, Singapore and Dubai making up the global top five. Overall, Europe boasts eight of the top 20 destination cities by international overnight visitors. Istanbul (7th), Barcelona (11th), Amsterdam (12th), Milan (13th), Rome (14th) and Vienna (17th) all make the cut.
In 2013, according to the Office of National Statistics International Passenger Survey, London welcomed more than 16 million international visitors in one year for the first time in history. Some of the major cultural events in London this year drawing millions of international visitors include “Ming: 50 Years that changed China” at the British Museum, “Constable: The Making of a Master’ at the V&A and ‘Rembrandt: The Final Years” at the National Gallery.
Among many other 2014 events expected to capture worldwide attention is the commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of World War I with the re-opening of the Imperial War Museum this summer and the “Great War in Portraits” exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. Together with an exhibition about fictional detective Sherlock Holmes at the Museum of London and the Thames River Festival in September, this year offers a feast of activities for visitors.