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Top 10 Most-visited Countries In The World

Tourism significantly impacts the global economy, contributing billions of dollars and supporting millions of jobs.
It boosts local economies by increasing demand for goods and services, creating employment and generating revenue for governments.
Certain countries become popular tourist destinations because of unique attractions, cultural richness, good infrastructure and strategic location. These elements contribute to a compelling travel experience, attracting visitors from around the globe.
The World Economic Outlook Report shows global tourism grew by 2.9% in 2024, which further proves that humans simply cannot be kept from exploring new places and food choices.
Here is a list of the top 10 most-visited countries in the world:
1. France (89.4 million visitors)
Interesting places to visit in France include the iconic Eiffel Tower, which lights up with a dazzling display every hour after sunset; the Louvre Museum, which houses the mysterious Mona Lisa, and appears much smaller in person than most tourists expect; the French Riviera beckoning with glamorous beaches, and the Loire Valley charms visitors with more than 300 fairytale castles.
The leading nation in tourism across the world continues its reign with nearly 90 million visitors annually. France offers an unbeatable mix of culture, cuisine and captivating landscapes that keep travellers coming back for more.
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2. Spain (83.7 million visitors)
Interesting places to visit in Spain include the captivating Antoni Gaudí’s fantastic architecture in Barcelona, including the still-unfinished Sagrada Família basilica, scheduled for completion in 2026. There are also world-class museums in Madrid, like the Prado, home to masterpieces by Goya and Velázquez.
Spain welcomed 83.7 million sun-seekers and culture enthusiasts last year, combining warm hospitality with diverse attractions.
3. United States (79.3 million visitors)
The United States welcomed 79.3 million international visitors with its incredible diversity of landscapes, cities and experiences.
In Los Angeles, there is Hollywood glamour. In San Francisco, there are hilly streets and the Golden Gate Bridge. The towering skyline, world-class shopping and Broadway shows make New York City an attractive place to visit.
4. China (65.7 million visitors)
The world’s most populous country welcomed 65.7 million visitors in 2024, showing an impressive growth of 4.5% from the previous year.
China combines ancient wonders with futuristic cities. The Great Wall stretches over 13,000 miles across northern China, with restored sections near Beijing providing the most accessible visiting experience. The Forbidden City, home to 24 Chinese emperors, contains 9,999 rooms filled with treasures.
5. Italy (64.5 million visitors)
Italy welcomed 64.5 million visitors drawn to its perfect combination of art, history, food and natural beauty, as travellers can enjoy authentic Neapolitan pizza, fresh pasta in Bologna and creamy gelato everywhere.
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Interesting places to visit in Italy include the open-air museum in Rome, where ancient ruins like the Colosseum and Forum exist alongside Renaissance masterpieces and modern city life, as well as the unique canal network and ornate architecture in Venice.
There is also the Vatican Museums’ art collections gathered by popes over the centuries.
6. Turkey (51.2 million visitors)
Istanbul, the capital city of Turkey, captivates visitors with landmarks reflecting its unique position.
The Hagia Sophia, once a church, then a mosque, now a museum, stands as a testament to the city’s layered history, while the Blue Mosque impresses with its cascading domes and six slender minarets.
Similarly, the Grand Bazaar, one of the world’s oldest and largest covered markets, invites visitors to haggle for treasures among its 4,000 shops.
Turkey recorded massive growth with 51.2 million visitors in 2024, up 11.9% from the previous year.
7. Mexico (45 million visitors)
Mexico attracted 45 million visitors in 2024, showing a significant growth of 9%. The country combines pre-Hispanic history, colonial charm and natural beauty with famous hospitality.
Captivating places to visit in Mexico include the Riviera Maya, along the Yucatán Peninsula, which draws beach lovers to its white sands and clear waters and the capital, Mexico City, surprises first-time visitors with its sophistication, world-class museums and vibrant neighbourhoods.
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8. Thailand (39.8 million visitors)
Interesting places to visit in Thailand include the Grand Palace in Bangkok, which houses the revered Emerald Buddha, while Southern Thailand’s islands and beaches rank among the world’s most beautiful.
Last year, the country welcomed 39.8 million visitors seeking its unique combination of fascinating culture, beautiful beaches and famous hospitality. The “Land of Smiles” offers exceptional value for travellers.
9. Germany (39.6 million visitors)
With 39.6 million tourists, Germany is one of the leading countries in the world for tourism. The European country successfully balances its historical legacy with forward-thinking modernity and beautiful scenery.
Travellers love to explore the Black Forest, Nymphenburg Palace, Pergamon Museum and Cologne Cathedral at night.
Berlin stands as one of Europe’s most dynamic capitals, where sections of the Berlin Wall now serve as an open-air gallery. The city’s Museum Island houses five world-class museums. Munich counterbalances with Bavarian tradition, especially during Oktoberfest, when millions gather to enjoy beer, pretzels and brass band music.
10. United Kingdom (39.4 million visitors)
The United Kingdom welcomed 39.4 million visitors in 2024, earning a place on the list of the most-visited countries in the world.
The regal majesty of London, capital of England, remains an attractive spot for visitors across the world with numerous attractions such as The British Museum (which houses the greatest collection of Egyptian artefacts outside of Cairo), Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.
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UK Police Hunt Asylum Seeker Mistakenly Freed For Sex Offence

UK police were still hunting Saturday for an Ethiopian asylum seeker and convicted sex offender whose crimes sparked a wave of anti-immigration protests and who was accidentally released from prison.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was “appalled” by Friday’s “totally unacceptable” error that saw 38-year-old Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu freed rather than sent to an immigration detention centre.
“This man must be caught and deported for his crimes,” the UK leader added.
Kebatu had served the first month of a one-year sentence for sexually assaulting a teenage girl and a woman, but was reportedly due to be deported when the Prison Service mistake occurred.
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Kebatu’s high-profile case earlier this year in Epping, northeast of London, sparked demonstrations in various English towns and cities where asylum seekers were believed to be housed, as well as counter-protests.
Justice Secretary David Lammy said late Friday night that Kebatu was “at large in London” after he was seen boarding a train to the capital in Chelmsford, eastern England.
Essex Police, which is leading the search with the help of London’s Metropolitan Police, said Saturday that “inquiries are continuing at pace this morning to locate and arrest” him.
“Officers worked throughout the night to track his movements, including scouring hours of CCTV footage,” the force added, noting “it is not lost on us that this situation is concerning to people”.
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The Telegraph reported he was wrongly categorised as a prisoner due to be released on licence and handed a £76 ($101) discharge grant.
The father of Kebatu’s anonymous teenage victim told Sky News that “the justice system has let us down”.
Police arrested the asylum seeker in July after he repeatedly tried to kiss a 14-year-old girl and touch her legs, and made sexually explicit comments to her.
He also sexually assaulted an adult woman, placing a hand on her thigh, when she intervened to stop his interactions with the girl.
At the time, Kebatu was staying at Epping’s Bell Hotel, where scores of other asylum seekers have been accommodated, and which became the target of repeated protests.
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UK Is A Home, Not Hotel, Kemi Badenoch Tells Immigrants, Starmer’s Govt

UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has slammed Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government over its immigration policy, declaring that Britain is “a home, not a hotel.”
Badenoch accused Labour of weakening the country’s borders and enabling mass automatic citizenship.
In a 1:11-minute video posted on her official X account on Friday, Badenoch claimed Labour’s proposed reforms could allow up to two million immigrants to automatically qualify for British citizenship starting next year.
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“From next year, two million immigrants can automatically claim British citizenship. Two million people! That’s nearly twice the population of Birmingham. That’s massive,” Badenoch said in the video.
Badenoch noted that the Conservative Party has introduced a deportation bill to bring immigration down.
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Among the measures she endorsed in the video were deporting all foreign criminals, mandatory age checks, no more pretending to be kids, tougher visa rules and salary thresholds, disapplying the Human Rights Act to immigration cases, and no more abusing human rights laws to judge deportations. Make asylum support repayable, and no permanent right to stay in the UK if you’ve relied on benefits.
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“Until that’s law, we won’t fix this. Labour should adopt it now. It’s time to get tough. That’s what the Conservatives’ Deportation Bill delivers, and we’re going to go further. Our country is a home, not a hotel. And if we don’t defend it, no one else will.”
In the caption that came with the video, she tweeted, “Labour has blocked every single measure we’ve put forward to cut immigration and stop abuse of the system.
“Now they’re pushing one half-arsed proposal — it’s weak; it won’t work. It’s time they stopped playing games and backed our Deportation Bill.”
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King Charles To Pray With Pope Leo In Historic Vatican Visit

King Charles III will on Thursday meet Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican and make history as the first head of the Church of England to pray publicly with the pontiff for five centuries.
The 76-year-old monarch, who is the supreme governor of the Church of England, arrived in Rome on Wednesday evening with his wife, Queen Camilla, for what Buckingham Palace described as a “historic” state visit.
It will be Charles’s first meeting with Leo since the US-born pope took over as head of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics in May, following the death of Pope Francis.
The royals will arrive at the Apostolic Palace at 10.45am (0845 GMT) for private talks with the pope.
READ ALSO:King Charles III To Visit Vatican Next Week
The king and queen will then join an ecumenical service at midday (1000 GMT) in the Sistine Chapel led by Pope Leo and the archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, currently the senior cleric of the Church of England.
Broadcast live by Vatican media, it will be the first time a reigning English or British monarch has prayed publicly with a pope since English king Henry VIII broke with Rome in 1534.
Triggered by the pope’s refusal to annul the king’s marriage so he could marry another woman, the schism made the monarch head of the separate Church of England.
Thursday’s service, held beneath Michelangelo’s spectacular ceiling frescoes, will be centred on conservation and protecting the environment, a cause championed by Charles.
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It will bring together Catholic and Anglican traditions, with the choir from the Sistine Chapel joined by that from Saint George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, one of the king’s residences.
– Schism –
The religious break between London and Rome remains, even if there has been a significant rapprochement in recent decades.
In 1961, the late Queen Elizabeth II, Charles’s mother, became the first British monarch to visit the Holy See since the split.
The law was changed in 2013 so that marrying a Catholic would no longer disqualify someone from becoming monarch — although they still have to be a Protestant themselves.
The rapprochement is important because “Anglicanism was born in reaction to the Catholic Church, and therefore in opposition,” said Hyacinthe Destivelle, a French priest and member of the Vatican’s dicastery (department) for promoting Christian unity.
READ ALSO:King Charles III To Visit Vatican Next Week
This is no longer the case, despite “theological differences in recent decades”, he told AFP.
Unlike the Roman Catholic Church, the Church of England — the mother church of the world’s 85-million-strong Anglican community — ordains women and allows priests to marry.
Sarah Mullally was recently named the first female archbishop of Canterbury, the Church’s top cleric, although she has yet to officially take up her post.
– Royal Confrater –
Charles and Queen Camilla are also set to take part in a service at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, one of four major papal basilicas, which has historic links with the English crown.
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The king will be made a “Royal Confrater” of the basilica and presented with a specially designed seat for use by him and future British monarchs.
Charles has visited the Vatican several times and met privately with Pope Francis on April 9, just days before the pontiff’s death.
The king sent his son and heir, William, to the funeral and his brother, Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, to Leo’s inauguration mass.
The visit comes as the Catholic Church celebrates the Jubilee, a year-long event held every 25 years, which has drawn millions of pilgrims to the Vatican.
It also comes at a delicate time for Charles, following new revelations about his brother Prince Andrew, who is mired in a scandal surrounding late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew announced on Friday that he would relinquish his title as Duke of York, reportedly under pressure from Charles. He had already stepped back from royal duties in 2019.
AFP
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