0s | International travel is at an all-time high, with more than one billion people venturing |
4s | outside their home country every year. |
6s | It should come as no surprise that world-class cities like Paris, London and New York are |
10s | all popular destinations, but none of them actually occupy the top spot. |
14s | So, what is the most visited city in the world? |
17s | Well, according to Mastercard’s Global Destination Cities Index, which tracks spending on travel-related |
22s | services, the most visited city in the world is Bangkok, Thailand. |
26s | In the 2016 Index, Bangkok saw more than 21 million overnight visitors, compared to Paris |
30s | and London, which saw roughly 18 and 19 million visitors, respectively. |
34s | More than 85 percent of Bangkok’s international visitors were there for travel or leisure, |
39s | |
40s | This is relatively unusual for Asian cities. |
42s | Shanghai, for example, sees fewer than half of all foreign visitors there for leisure. |
47s | During the 1980’s and 1990’s, Bangkok became a hub for business travel, as many |
51s | multinational corporations established headquarters there. |
54s | Although the city has been a popular vacation stop for decades, the Tourism Authority of |
58s | Thailand embarked on an ambitious campaign in 2015 to increase tourism even more. |
63s | Although it’s still in its early stages, the so-called “Discover Thainess” campaign |
67s | is expected to increase visitors to the country’s largest region by nearly 30 million. |
71s | So, what is so special about Bangkok? |
74s | Well, the Thai capital is home to countless historical monuments, including royal palaces, |
78s | Buddhist temples and Hindu shrines. |
81s | But studies show that most visitors seek out Bangkok because of its diverse and inexpensive |
85s | |
86s | In 2013, the city’s enormous luxury shopping mall, the Siam Paragon (SIGH-AM PAIR-AGON), |
90s | was the most Instagram-ed location on earth. |
93s | Bangkok also has a booming illicit sex industry. |
96s | Although prostitution in Thailand is illegal, it is extremely visible, reportedly happening |
100s | inside massage parlours, saunas and hotels. |
103s | Sex tourism is so pervasive that it has earned Bangkok the unofficial nickname the “Sin |
107s | |
109s | But beyond what Bangkok has to offer, a number of other factors play into the city’s role |
112s | |
114s | Bangkok is the gateway through which most foreign visitors enter Thailand, often on |
117s | their way to the country’s picturesque beaches and lush mountains. |
121s | The Thai capital is also a popular destination for China and Southeast Asia’s rapidly growing |
126s | middle class—people who, a decade ago, likely didn’t have the money or time to travel. |
131s | In fact, most visitors to Bangkok come from other parts of Thailand or from neighboring |
135s | |
136s | This is all against the backdrop of Asia’s fast growing economy, which is fueling both |
139s | business and leisure-related travel. |
141s | In fact, the region houses half of the top ten most visited cities on the index. |
146s | Bangkok isn’t the only Asian city that is rising in the ranks. |
149s | Cities like Tokyo and Seoul are seeing a ten percent or more increase in visitors every |
153s | |
154s | Osaka (oh-saka), Japan is the fastest growing destination city in the world, seeing more |
158s | than 13 percent more international travelers between 2015 and 2016. |
163s | As global economic power continues to shift to Asia, we may soon see other cities in the |
167s | region compete with Bangkok to be the world’s most sought-after tourist destinations. |
171s | Bangkok tops the list in terms of most visited cities. |
174s | But Thailand is not the most visited country. |
177s | |
178s | So what are the most visited countries? |
180s | |
182s | Well, travel and tourism are huge industries, which currently are thought to account for |
186s | nine percent of the global GDP or $7 trillion. |
189s | In 2015, over a billion tourists traveled the world. |
193s | Thanks for watching Seeker Daily! |
194s | Don’t forget to like and subscribe for more videos every day. |