Bangkok beats London as top travel spot

BANGKOK: According to the annual Mastercard Global Destinations Cities Index released today, the Thai capital edges out second-ranked London which should welcome 19.88 million visitors this year.

Tourism has been one of the rare bright spots for Thailand, which has grappled with weak consumer confidence and exports.

Bangkok won the “Worlds Best City Award 2013” organised by Travel and Leisure magazine for the fourth consecutive year.

The Mastercard Index provides more than a ranking of the 132 most visited cities around the world. It projects visitor volume and spend estimates for the 2016 calendar year, while delivering a deeper understanding of how people travel and spend around the world.

As cross-border travel and spending continue to grow at a faster pace than the world’s GDP, cities continue to be the engines of broader economic growth.

Forecasted international overnight visitors to the rest of the top 10 cities include: London – 19.88 million visitors Paris – 18.03 million visitors Dubai – 15.27 million visitors New York – 12.75 million visitors Singapore – 12.11 million visitors Kuala Lumpur – 12.02 million visitors Istanbul – 11.95 million visitors Tokyo – 11.70 million visitors Seoul – 10.20 million visitors The biggest surprise in this year's Index is Dubai's jump to the top rank based on international visitor spending of US$31.3bil (RM128bil), far exceeding the second ranked London estimated at US$19.8bil (RM81bil).

“The way people travel and spend across borders indicates just how interconnected and important the world's cities are,” said Ann Cairns, president of International Markets, Mastercard.

“As the planning and experience of the trip become increasingly important, Mastercard is bringing all these pieces together seamlessly through innovation and connections.” — The Nation / Asia News Network