Ranking of the most attractive tourist cities for international tourists in 2023

According to Euromonitor International, Istanbul, the capital of Turkey, is the most visited city in the world in 2023. Istanbul has more than 20 million visitors, a 26% increase from 2022. It is followed by London with 18.8 million arrivals in 2023 and Dubai with 16.8 million. Inbound tourists here refer to international tourists who stay for at least 24 hours and no longer than 12 months. Each arrival is counted separately, including people who travel more than once a year and those who visit multiple countries in one trip.

Among the cities listed, Hong Kong and Bangkok saw the largest year-on-year increases in international tourist arrivals, at 2,495% and 142%, respectively, largely due to the two places being the last to reopen following the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Euromonitor International.

Another key trend highlighted by the organization as the tourism industry recovers from the COVID-19 crisis is overtourism. "Some destinations are implementing restrictions, imposing high taxes or reducing hotel capacity to help limit the influx of tourists and protect cultural heritage, while others are adopting a diversification strategy and promoting alternative or less popular destinations," said Nadejda Popova, senior manager at Euromonitor International. "Overtourism is seen by many as a double-edged sword that highlights the importance of implementing sustainable practices to help promote more responsible tourism rather than mass tourism, benefiting the environment and local residents."

Overtourism is a challenge faced by many cities around the world, where authorities have taken measures such as Venice's €5 "tourist tax" for day visitors or the construction of a barrier in Fujikawaguchiko, Japan, that hides Mount Fuji to prevent tourists from clogging the road while taking photos.