Which cities draw the most international travelers? Each year, Euromonitor International tallies global tourism to reveal the world’s most visited cities by international arrivals, and the latest figures, for 2025, show a clear tilt toward Asia and the Middle East. With international arrivals to the top 100 cities climbing to an estimated 702 million, the ranking offers a snapshot of where the world is traveling. Here is a countdown of the ten most visited cities in the world, counted down one by one. (Figures are 2025 estimates from Euromonitor International and are subject to revision.)
10. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Malaysia’s capital rounds out the top ten. It drew roughly 17 million visitors.
Kuala Lumpur rounds out the top ten, with an estimated 17 million international arrivals in 2025. Malaysia’s capital draws visitors with its iconic towers, diverse food scene, and role as a major Southeast Asian hub. Kuala Lumpur making the top ten reflects Southeast Asia’s strong tourism pull, the recognition of a city that blends modern skylines with rich cultural diversity and serves as a gateway to the region, securing its place among the world’s most visited destinations on the strength of steady, broad-based international appeal.
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9. Paris, France
Paris ranks ninth by arrivals. It’s still named the world’s most appealing city.
Paris drew an estimated 18.3 million international arrivals in 2025, placing ninth by visitor count, even as it was separately named the world’s most appealing city in Euromonitor’s broader index. The reopening of Notre-Dame and major events helped drive interest. Paris ranking ninth by arrivals, yet topping the appeal index, captures an interesting distinction, the difference between raw visitor numbers and overall desirability, with the City of Light remaining the world’s most admired destination while several other cities welcome more international arrivals each year.
8. Antalya, Turkey
Antalya is Turkey’s Mediterranean resort hub. It drew about 18.6 million visitors.
Antalya, Turkey’s Mediterranean resort capital, drew an estimated 18.6 million international arrivals in 2025, posting solid growth. Its beaches, historic sites, and all-inclusive resorts make it a magnet for European holidaymakers. Antalya ranking eighth highlights the power of resort tourism, the way a sun-and-sea destination on Turkey’s coast can rival great world capitals in sheer visitor numbers, reflecting the enormous draw of value-driven beach holidays and giving Turkey two cities in the global top ten.
7. Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Mecca draws millions of pilgrims. It welcomed roughly 18.7 million visitors.
Mecca welcomed an estimated 18.7 million international arrivals in 2025, a figure driven almost entirely by religious tourism. As Islam’s holiest city, it draws millions of pilgrims each year for Hajj and Umrah, supported by massive investments in infrastructure and accommodation. Mecca ranking seventh reflects the unique scale of religious travel, the way a single sacred destination draws vast numbers of visitors on spiritual journeys, a distinctive entry on a list otherwise dominated by leisure and business hubs, and a reminder of the many different reasons people travel.
6. Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Dubai is a global leisure and business magnet. It drew about 19.5 million visitors.
Dubai drew an estimated 19.5 million international arrivals in 2025, cementing its status as a global hub where luxury shopping, striking architecture, and desert adventures meet world-class connectivity. The emirate continues to invest heavily in tourism. Dubai ranking sixth reflects its remarkable rise, the transformation of a desert city into one of the planet’s premier destinations through ambitious development and relentless promotion, a place that has made itself a fixture on the world’s most-visited list and aims to climb even higher in the years ahead.
5. Istanbul, Turkey
Istanbul bridges Europe and Asia. It welcomed about 19.7 million visitors.
Istanbul, the city that famously straddles Europe and Asia, welcomed an estimated 19.7 million international arrivals in 2025. Its layered history, from Byzantine to Ottoman, plus its lively markets and strategic location, make it a perennial draw. Istanbul ranking fifth reflects its enduring magnetism, the appeal of a city that physically and culturally bridges two continents, offering travelers a rich blend of history, cuisine, and atmosphere that, together with Antalya, gives Turkey an outsized presence among the world’s most visited places.
4. Macao
Macao is the fastest-growing in the top ten. It drew roughly 20.4 million visitors.
Macao welcomed an estimated 20.4 million international arrivals in 2025 and was the fastest-growing city in the top ten, surging on the strength of its resorts, entertainment, and multi-entry visitor programs. Often called the gaming capital of Asia, it has rebounded strongly. Macao ranking fourth, as the list’s fastest riser, highlights a tourism comeback, the rapid growth of a compact destination that has leveraged entertainment and easier access to draw visitors in droves, posting the strongest gains of any city near the top of the global ranking.
3. London, United Kingdom
London is Europe’s most visited city. It drew about 22.7 million visitors.
London held third place globally and ranked as Europe’s most visited city, with an estimated 22.7 million international arrivals in 2025. A global crossroads for culture, business, education, and entertainment, it benefits from repeat visits and longer stays. London ranking third and leading Europe reflects its status as a world city, the enduring draw of its museums, theaters, royal landmarks, and diverse neighborhoods, which keep it the continent’s top destination and one of only a handful of Western cities holding firm near the top of an increasingly Asia-led ranking.
2. Hong Kong
Hong Kong climbed to second place. It welcomed about 23.2 million visitors.
Hong Kong climbed to second place in 2025, with an estimated 23.2 million international arrivals, reflecting steady tourism recovery and its role as a highly connected global gateway. Its blend of finance, culture, and dramatic geography continues to draw travelers. Hong Kong ranking second reflects its strong rebound, the recovery of a destination prized for its skyline, cuisine, and efficiency, climbing the ranks as a safe, well-organized hub for both leisure and business and reinforcing Asia’s dominance of the world’s most-visited cities.
1. Bangkok, Thailand
Bangkok is the world’s most visited city. It drew an estimated 30 million visitors.
Topping the list is Bangkok, with an estimated 30.3 million international arrivals in 2025, by far the most of any city in the world. As the gateway to one of the planet’s most popular countries, Thailand’s capital benefits from exceptional air connectivity, competitive prices, and a tourism scene built around its temples, street food, and famous nightlife. Bangkok being the world’s most visited city is the headline of the ranking, the Thai capital’s commanding lead reflecting its unrivaled combination of value, accessibility, and round-the-clock energy that draws more international visitors than anywhere else on earth.
A Map Tilting Toward Asia
Taken together, the 2025 ranking reveals a world of travel increasingly centered on Asia and the Middle East, led by Bangkok, Hong Kong, and a cluster of fast-growing hubs, with London and Paris flying the flag for Europe. For travelers, the list is both a snapshot of where the crowds are and a source of inspiration for the world’s most magnetic cities.
The figures, based on Euromonitor International’s tally of international arrivals, capture sheer visitor volume rather than a city’s appeal or value, which is why Paris can top a separate “most appealing” index while ranking ninth by arrivals. The broad trend is clear: the gravitational pull of global tourism continues to shift toward Asia and the Middle East, even as Europe’s great capitals remain hugely popular. Whether you read it as a guide to the world’s top hubs or a heads-up about where the crowds gather, the ranking offers a fascinating look at how the world travels today.
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