Austria Ranks 13th Among the Most Visited Countries in the World

Austria recorded 32.2 million arrivals last year and ranks 13th. France is in first place with 102 million tourist arrivals.

A ranking provides insight into which countries are trending or still popular - and also which are less in demand than before. The latest list is based on figures for the year 2024. It shows: The global desire to travel is back after the pandemic. Worldwide, keywords like flight shame do not seem to play a significant role. Hundreds of millions of people are flying.

The list of most visited countries has been led by France for decades, but Spain is on its neighbor's heels. But which countries are still in the top 20? And where does Germany stand? The countdown:

In 20th place is India - where 20.6 million international arrivals were registered. The Netherlands counted 21.3 million visitors. According to this statistic, 18th place goes to Hong Kong in China, which is still listed independently here. Places 17 and 16: Malaysia and Portugal.

Rank 15 is held by the rising star Saudi Arabia, where 29.7 million arrivals from abroad were counted, compared to just 17.5 million in 2019. In 14th place are the United Arab Emirates.

Austria recorded 32.2 million arrivals last year (an increase of 4.2 percent compared to the previous year) and ranks 13th. Twelfth place goes to Thailand (35.5 million; an increase of 26.3 percent), and eleventh place to Greece (36 million; an increase of 9.8 percent).

The following are the top ten, with UN Tourism emphasizing: "In fact, neither China nor the United Kingdom have released data on international tourist arrivals for 2024." They are waiting for these two countries to release this information in the coming weeks. Their preliminary placement in the ranking - eighth and seventh place - is based on estimates.

The Land of the Rising Sun - and especially Tokyo - long had the reputation of being an expensive travel destination. However, the weakness of the yen has made vacations in Japan affordable for many - and this was evident last year. After 25 million visitors in 2023, there was suddenly an increase of 47 percent - and 36.9 million foreign tourists. A completely new experience for the Japanese, suddenly becoming a kind of budget travel destination.

With 37.5 million visitors (an increase of 7.8 percent), Germany makes it into the top ten most visited countries (even though the number is still below that of 2019). The Federal Republic scores with versatility for city and cultural travelers - from Hamburg to Munich, Cologne to Berlin, Heidelberg to Dresden, Lübeck to Weimar. Famous events like the Oktoberfest in Munich, museums, hearty food, and historic buildings like Cologne Cathedral, Wartburg Castle, or Neuschwanstein Castle are captivating.

Although no official data is available yet, the United Kingdom - based on estimates - ranks eighth. There were probably around 39 million visitors - London alone attracts many fans, and historic cities like Edinburgh, Oxford, Cambridge, or Bath are also popular.

Although no official data is available yet, China - based on estimates - is expected to rank seventh. Highlights for visitors include the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Great Wall of China, the Terracotta Army in Xi'an, and of course, the diverse cuisine.

Travel influencers have discovered the diverse country as a hotspot. Whether it's the fascinating metropolis of Mexico City or dreamlike beaches: Mexico is trendy, even though there are occasional anti-tourism protests. 45 million (up 7.4 percent) traveled there last year.

Bella Italia: It should surprise no one that Italy, with its cuisine, the hills of Tuscany, or the mountains of the Dolomites, is among the most visited countries in the world. 57.7 million came last year (in 2019 it was almost 65 million).

The number of cities worth seeing is numerous: Rome, Venice, Milan, Florence, Rimini, Pisa, Naples, Bologna, Bergamo, Genoa, Sanremo, Ravenna, Verona, Trieste, Como, Palermo - to name just a few.

The country between Europe and Asia is popular. It attracted 60.6 million visitors (up 9.8 percent).

Among the popular attractions is the overwhelming Istanbul, one of the most exciting cities in the world.

As the land of unlimited possibilities, the USA was long revered - and romanticized. New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas are places of longing. 72.4 million arrivals from abroad were registered in 2024. However, in 2019 there were still 79.4 million visitors.

The immigration policy under President Donald Trump, which does not exactly appear as a welcoming culture, is likely to accelerate the downward trend in 2025. Who still wants to go there if they might be turned away at the border?

A vibrant country with cities like Barcelona, Seville, Madrid, Málaga, Granada, and San Sebastián - and popular islands like Mallorca, Ibiza, Tenerife, and Gran Canaria.

Tourism is booming, but recently there have been more demonstrations against so-called overtourism. 93.8 million guests from abroad were counted in 2024, about ten million more than in the pre-Corona year 2019.

Vive la France: About 102 million international tourist arrivals were recorded in 2024 (an increase of two percent compared to 2023). The capital Paris alone - glorified as the city of love and traditionally a stronghold of fine gastronomy - is a magnet. Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, and Versailles at the gates. In 2024, the Olympic Games and the Paralympics also took place in Paris, as is well known.

France's attractions also include Lyon, the Loire castles, and Marseille. The Côte d'Azur with Saint-Tropez, Cannes, Antibes, and Nice is considered the cradle of tourism itself. In France, tourism was, so to speak, invented. The country is still the number one tourist destination.

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