Countries That Are the Most Crowded With Tourists
Each year, millions of people pack their bags, buy plane tickets, and travel to incredible places around the world. While each and every country has a thought-provoking history, beautiful natural landscapes, and interesting cultures to explore, some still struggle to attract a significant population of travelers. Though tourism is a major global industry, the same countries tend to see the highest numbers of tourists year after year.
It turns out these patterns aren’t exactly random. In this report from Irish Dual Citizenship, we’ve ranked each country by the percentage of tourists they receive annually and looked into some of the factors driving these trends.
The Global Tourism Industry
Global tourism, or international tourism, refers to tourism that crosses national borders and is one of the largest industries across the world. Over the last decade or so, increased globalization has turned international tourism into an $11 billion industry.
There are many reasons for the increase in global tourism, driven by both social and economic factors. One of the biggest reasons is the availability of cheaper air travel. Budget airlines and competitive pricing have allowed more people to explore international destinations without the high costs that once made global travel exclusive.
Technology has also played a considerable role. With the rise of online booking platforms, travel apps, and review sites, planning a trip has never been easier. Travelers can research, book flights, and find accommodations with just a few clicks. Social media further fuels this growth by inspiring people to visit new places after seeing dazzling vacation photos shared by friends and influencers.
Another significant factor is the growing middle class, especially in countries like China and India. As more people gain disposable income, travel becomes a priority, and these new travelers contribute significantly to the rise in global tourism. While international travel is up overall, the effects aren’t seen equally worldwide.
Popular Tourist Destinations
One of the biggest reasons certain countries get more tourists than others is the allure of their natural beauty, unique cultural experiences, tourist destinations, and famous landmarks.
Thailand, for instance, ranks as one of the top countries to visit and is famous for its tropical beaches, crystal-clear waters, and lush jungles. Tourists flock to places like Phuket and Koh Samui to enjoy the sunshine, the rich marine life, and the relaxed island vibe. On the other hand, France is the most visited country in the world and draws millions with its rich cultural history and world-famous landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and the Louvre. Paris alone is a dream destination for history buffs and art lovers alike.
The United States ranks fourth for the world’s most visited places, attracting visitors to the many national parks such as the Grand Canyon and Yosemite and global media hubs like L.A. and New York City.
Though beauty and photo ops are a great draw, Poland, ranking third, draws millions of tourists annually for its World War II historical attractions and UNESCO World Cultural sights.
Interestingly, not all countries with landmarks and beautiful geography attract tourists. The Solomon Islands, for example, have some of the world’s most stunning, untouched beaches and landscapes. However, possibly due to its somber history and lack of international recognition, this country ranks almost dead last for the number of annual tourists.
Affordability
Traveling the world is by no means cheap, but some countries offer incredible experiences without the steep price tag. Affordable travel is a key reason certain places receive more visitors than others.
Thailand and Mexico are two of the top budget-friendly destinations. In Thailand, tourists can enjoy beautiful beaches, delicious street food, and vibrant nightlife at a fraction of the cost compared to other tropical locations. Mexico’s affordable all-inclusive resorts, rich cultural history, and stunning beaches make it a favorite for budget-conscious travelers looking for adventure and relaxation.
In Europe, Poland stands out as one of the most affordable countries to visit. While countries like France, Italy, and Germany tend to be more expensive, Poland offers affordable accommodations, food, and attractions. It is an excellent choice for those wanting a European experience on a budget.
Safety
No matter how beautiful or affordable a country is, safety is always a top concern for travelers. Tourists are unlikely to visit places where they feel unsafe, and countries that are considered dangerous due to war, political instability, or high crime rates often struggle to attract visitors.
For example, Chad, which ranks as one of the lowest for annual tourism, is a country with incredible landscapes. Still, it’s classified as a high-risk destination due to terrorism, kidnapping, civil unrest, and violent crime. These safety issues discourage tourists from visiting, even though the country has much to offer regarding natural beauty and cultural interest.
Active war zones or countries with poor diplomatic relations with tourists’ home nations also tend to see fewer visitors. Safety is paramount, and destinations that can guarantee a secure, peaceful environment for their visitors will naturally draw more tourists.
Conclusion
There are several reasons why some countries get more tourists than others. However, as more countries invest in tourism, this list may change over time. Additionally, as people gain more access to travel, tourism will continue to become more accessible.
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Most and Least Visited Countries in the World
Please note:
The most recent available data for almost every country’s annual international tourist arrivals is from 2018-2020. Any country with data from before 2018 was excluded from the analysis.
The percentage of annual world arrivals was based on the 1.5 billion international arrivals worldwide in 2019.
Every Country Ranked by Annual International Tourist Arrivals
| Country | Annual International Tourist Arrivals | Percentage of Annual World Arrivals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | 117.1M | 7.81% |
| 2 | Poland | 88.5M | 5.90% |
| 3 | Mexico | 51.1M | 3.41% |
| 4 | United States | 45M | 3.00% |
| 5 | Thailand | 39.9M | 2.66% |
| 6 | Italy | 38.4M | 2.56% |
| 7 | Czech Republic | 37.2M | 2.48% |
| 8 | Spain | 36.4M | 2.43% |
| 9 | Canada | 32.4M | 2.16% |
| 10 | Hungary | 31.6M | 2.11% |
| 11 | China | 30.4M | 2.03% |
| 12 | Croatia | 21.6M | 1.44% |
| 13 | Saudi Arabia | 20.3M | 1.35% |
| 14 | India | 17.9M | 1.19% |
| 15 | Turkey | 16M | 1.06% |
| 16 | Denmark | 15.6M | 1.04% |
| 17 | Slovakia | 15.3M | 1.02% |
| 18 | Austria | 15.1M | 1.01% |
| 19 | Egypt | 13M | 0.87% |
| 20 | Germany | 12.4M | 0.83% |
| 21 | Switzerland | 11.8M | 0.79% |
| 22 | United Kingdom | 11.1M | 0.74% |
| 23 | Ireland | 11M | 0.73% |
| 24 | United States Virgin Islands | 8.6M | 0.57% |
| 25 | Kyrgyzstan | 8.5M | 0.57% |
| 26 | United Arab Emirates | 8.1M | 0.54% |
| 27 | Greece | 7.4M | 0.49% |
| 28 | Argentina | 7.3M | 0.49% |
| 29 | Netherlands | 7.3M | 0.48% |
| 30 | Uzbekistan | 6.7M | 0.45% |
| 31 | Brazil | 6.4M | 0.42% |
| 32 | Russia | 6.4M | 0.42% |
| 33 | Macau | 5.9M | 0.39% |
| 34 | Chile | 5.4M | 0.36% |
| 35 | Andorra | 5.2M | 0.35% |
| 36 | Bulgaria | 5M | 0.33% |
| 37 | Romania | 5M | 0.33% |
| 38 | Israel | 4.9M | 0.33% |
| 39 | Malaysia | 4.3M | 0.29% |
| 40 | Portugal | 4.2M | 0.28% |
| 41 | Cyprus | 4.1M | 0.27% |
| 42 | Indonesia | 4.1M | 0.27% |
| 43 | Japan | 4.1M | 0.27% |
| 44 | Puerto Rico | 3.9M | 0.26% |
| 45 | South Africa | 3.9M | 0.26% |
| 46 | Vietnam | 3.8M | 0.26% |
| 47 | Belarus | 3.6M | 0.24% |
| 48 | Hong Kong | 3.6M | 0.24% |
| 49 | Uruguay | 3.5M | 0.23% |
| 50 | Ukraine | 3.4M | 0.23% |
| 51 | Latvia | 3.2M | 0.21% |
| 52 | Morocco | 2.8M | 0.19% |
| 53 | Albania | 2.7M | 0.18% |
| 54 | Dominican Republic | 2.7M | 0.18% |
| 55 | Singapore | 2.7M | 0.18% |
| 56 | Belgium | 2.6M | 0.17% |
| 57 | South Korea | 2.5M | 0.17% |
| 58 | Syria | 2.4M | 0.16% |
| 59 | Lithuania | 2.3M | 0.15% |
| 60 | Kuwait | 2.2M | 0.14% |
| 61 | Ecuador | 2.1M | 0.14% |
| 62 | Kazakhstan | 2M | 0.14% |
| 63 | Kenya | 2M | 0.14% |
| 64 | Mozambique | 2M | 0.14% |
| 65 | Aruba | 2M | 0.13% |
| 66 | Sint Maarten | 2M | 0.13% |
| 67 | Sweden | 2M | 0.13% |
| 68 | Tunisia | 2M | 0.13% |
| 69 | Bahrain | 1.9M | 0.13% |
| 70 | Lebanon | 1.9M | 0.13% |
| 71 | San Marino | 1.9M | 0.13% |
| 72 | Australia | 1.8M | 0.12% |
| 73 | Bahamas | 1.8M | 0.12% |
| 74 | Botswana | 1.8M | 0.12% |
| 75 | Estonia | 1.7M | 0.11% |
| 76 | Rwanda | 1.6M | 0.11% |
| 77 | Iran | 1.6M | 0.10% |
| 78 | Georgia | 1.5M | 0.10% |
| 79 | Philippines | 1.5M | 0.10% |
| 80 | Tanzania | 1.5M | 0.10% |
| 81 | Colombia | 1.4M | 0.09% |
| 82 | Norway | 1.4M | 0.09% |
| 83 | Cambodia | 1.3M | 0.09% |
| 84 | Curacao | 1.3M | 0.09% |
| 85 | Jamaica | 1.3M | 0.09% |
| 86 | Jordan | 1.2M | 0.08% |
| 87 | Slovenia | 1.2M | 0.08% |
| 88 | Costa Rica | 1.1M | 0.08% |
| 89 | Lesotho | 1.1M | 0.08% |
| 90 | Brunei | 1.1M | 0.07% |
| 91 | Cuba | 1.1M | 0.07% |
| 92 | Paraguay | 1.1M | 0.07% |
| 93 | Peru | 1.1M | 0.07% |
| 94 | Cameroon | 1M | 0.07% |
| 95 | New Zealand | 1M | 0.07% |
| 96 | Tajikistan | 1M | 0.07% |
| 97 | Barbados | 966K | 0.06% |
| 98 | Haiti | 938K | 0.06% |
| 99 | Myanmar | 903K | 0.06% |
| 100 | Finland | 896K | 0.06% |
| 101 | Laos | 886.4K | 0.06% |
| 102 | Malawi | 871K | 0.06% |
| 103 | Oman | 869K | 0.06% |
| 104 | Sudan | 836K | 0.06% |
| 105 | Azerbaijan | 796K | 0.05% |
| 106 | Malta | 718K | 0.05% |
| 107 | El Salvador | 707K | 0.05% |
| 108 | Honduras | 669K | 0.04% |
| 109 | Ivory Coast | 668K | 0.04% |
| 110 | Cayman Islands | 660K | 0.04% |
| 111 | Panama | 647K | 0.04% |
| 112 | Zimbabwe | 639K | 0.04% |
| 113 | Guatemala | 594K | 0.04% |
| 114 | Algeria | 591K | 0.04% |
| 115 | Qatar | 582K | 0.04% |
| 116 | Maldives | 555K | 0.04% |
| 117 | Sri Lanka | 540K | 0.04% |
| 118 | Luxembourg | 525K | 0.04% |
| 119 | Ethiopia | 518K | 0.03% |
| 120 | Zambia | 502K | 0.03% |
| 121 | Iceland | 488K | 0.03% |
| 122 | Belize | 487K | 0.03% |
| 123 | Northern Mariana Islands | 487K | 0.03% |
| 124 | Togo | 482K | 0.03% |
| 125 | Nicaragua | 474K | 0.03% |
| 126 | Uganda | 473K | 0.03% |
| 127 | Serbia | 446K | 0.03% |
| 128 | Saint Lucia | 432.5K | 0.03% |
| 129 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 392K | 0.03% |
| 130 | Antigua and Barbuda | 384.5K | 0.03% |
| 131 | Armenia | 375K | 0.03% |
| 132 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 370.4K | 0.02% |
| 133 | Montenegro | 351K | 0.02% |
| 134 | Eswatini | 345.3K | 0.02% |
| 135 | Benin | 337K | 0.02% |
| 136 | Guam | 328K | 0.02% |
| 137 | Bolivia | 323.3K | 0.02% |
| 138 | Bangladesh | 323K | 0.02% |
| 139 | Mauritius | 316K | 0.02% |
| 140 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 301.4K | 0.02% |
| 141 | Gambia | 246K | 0.02% |
| 142 | Nepal | 230K | 0.02% |
| 143 | Angola | 218K | 0.01% |
| 144 | Grenada | 217K | 0.01% |
| 145 | Mali | 217K | 0.01% |
| 146 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 197K | 0.01% |
| 147 | Namibia | 187.1K | 0.01% |
| 148 | Cape Verde | 180K | 0.01% |
| 149 | Fiji | 168K | 0.01% |
| 150 | Monaco | 159K | 0.01% |
| 151 | Republic of the Congo | 158K | 0.01% |
| 152 | Trinidad and Tobago | 141K | 0.01% |
| 153 | Dominica | 140K | 0.01% |
| 154 | Seychelles | 124.5K | 0.01% |
| 155 | North Macedonia | 118K | 0.01% |
| 156 | Tonga | 94K | 0.01% |
| 157 | French Polynesia | 89.4K | 0.01% |
| 158 | Madagascar | 87.1K | 0.01% |
| 159 | Central African Republic | 87K | 0.01% |
| 160 | Guyana | 86.4K | 0.01% |
| 161 | Niger | 85K | 0.01% |
| 162 | British Virgin Islands | 83K | 0.01% |
| 163 | Vanuatu | 82.4K | 0.01% |
| 164 | Timor-Leste | 74.8K | <0.01% |
| 165 | Sierra Leone | 71K | <0.01% |
| 166 | Burkina Faso | 67K | <0.01% |
| 167 | Mongolia | 66.9K | <0.01% |
| 168 | Liechtenstein | 58.4K | <0.01% |
| 169 | Guinea Bissau | 52.4K | <0.01% |
| 170 | Bermuda | 51.4K | <0.01% |
| 171 | Papua New Guinea | 39K | <0.01% |
| 172 | Sao Tome and Principe | 33.4K | <0.01% |
| 173 | New Caledonia | 31K | <0.01% |
| 174 | Bhutan | 29.8K | <0.01% |
| 175 | Moldova | 29K | <0.01% |
| 176 | Samoa | 23.9K | <0.01% |
| 177 | Palau | 18.4K | <0.01% |
| 178 | Micronesia | 18K | <0.01% |
| 179 | Kiribati | 12K | <0.01% |
| 180 | Chad | 10.4K | <0.01% |
| 181 | Comoros | 7K | <0.01% |
| 182 | Marshall Islands | 6.1K | <0.01% |
| 183 | Solomon Islands | 4.4K | <0.01% |
| 184 | Tuvalu | 3.6K | <0.01% |
| 185 | American Samoa | 900 | <0.01% |
This page was last updated by Marco Permunian and Jason LoPresti
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