World’s most visited country in 2018

With 2018 coming to an end, we take a look at the countries that became tourist hotspots and some which slipped away.

There were losers in 2018, as well as winners – including the UK. The first six months of the year saw a fall in arrivals of 6.8 per cent. Should that trend continue for the whole of 2018, arrivals will drop from 37.7m to 35.1m. Early indications suggest no other major tourist destination has experienced a bigger slump.

Topping the chart for year-on-year growth is a Ecuador, a South American nation that’s home to an Avenue of Volcanoes and a train journey called The Devil’s Nose. The country is predicting an increase in visitor numbers of 56.1 per cent, from 1.6m to around 2.5m, and appears to be reaping the rewards of a long-term plan to boost tourism through increased marketing. However, fears have been raised this year that “overtourism” may be putting Ecuador’s biggest draw, the Galapagos Islands, at risk. There is currently a cap on the number of cruise ships that can visit the remote archipelago but land-based tours are not so tightly controlled.

Vietnam’s meteoric rise goes on, driven largely by waves of visitors from China. Back in 1990 just 250,000 foreigners visited. That figure grew to 3.5m in 2005, 5m in 2010 and 7.9m in 2015. Last year 12.9m went to Vietnam; this year it will be around 15.8m (up 22.4 per cent).

After Turkey, Europe’s fastest growing destination is Albania (up 19.8 per cent to 5.5m). Perhaps sunseekers were inspired by Telegraph Travel’s glowing report in February that described it as Eastern Europe’s answer to the Amalfi Coast?

France appears certain to retain its title as the most visited country on the planet. Projections show around 93.8m people travelled to the country this year, up 7.9 per cent on 2017. 

In fact, it would appear that the 20 most visited countries last year will remain the 20 most visited countries of 2018. But there could be movement in the table.

The US, which lost second spot to Spain in 2017, may well regain it. Forecasts predict an increase of 6.9 per cent in arrivals to the US, which would bump it up to 82.2m, ahead of Spain, which is expected to show little or no growth on the 81.8m who visited last year.

The UK may well tumble down the table from seventh to 10th, with Turkey, Germany and Thailand all moving up. 

Japan is expected to leapfrog Austria into 11th; Greece to jump above Hong Kong into 13th; and Netherlands to swap places with Poland. 

1. France – 93.8m (=)
2. US – 82.2m (+1)
3. Spain – 81.8m (-1)
4. China – 61.9m (=)
5. Italy – 61m (=)
6. Turkey – 46m (+2)
7. Mexico – 42m (-1)
8. Germany – 38.9m (+1)
9. Thailand – 38.3m (+1)
10. UK – 35.1m (-3)
11. Japan – 31.7m (+1)
12. Austria – 30.7m (-1)
13. Greece – 30m (+1)
14. Hong Kong – 29.3 (-1)
15. Malaysia – 25.8m (=)
16. Russia – 24.4m (=)
17. Portugal – 21.2m (=)
18. Canada – 21m (=)
19. Netherlands – 19.1m (+1)
20. Poland – 18.4 (-1)

Euromonitor International’s analysis shows Hong Kong leading the way with 29.8m arrivals forecast for 2018 (up seven per cent), followed by Bangkok (23.7m; up 5.5 per cent) and London (20.7m; up 4.5 per cent). The UK capital’s closest European rivals are Paris (sixth, with 16.9m visitors) and Istanbul (12th with 12.1m).

It appears Asian cities are climbing the table largely at the expense European ones.

Chennai (45th overall), cricket obsessed, and a surprising coffee capital; Agra (29th), home to the world’s most beautiful building; and thrilling but undeniably chaotic Delhi (13th), are projected growth of 30.4 per cent, 24.3 per cent and 23.1 per cent, respectively.

Conversely, Rome will fall three places in 2018 (to 18th), Venice will lose four positions (now 45th), and Florence two (now 49th). Berlin’s 2018 ranking is 36th (down two spots).

But Euromonitor also highlighted Porto’s surge up the rankings. It has advanced 42 places since 2012 to reach the top 100 for the first time this year.