These are the most popular tourist attractions in the world
Lifestyle magazine Travel+Leisure has released its annual rankings of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, listing which spots see the most visitors every year.
The list comprises both man-made and natural wonders, with some of the most iconic destinations across the world not even ranking in the top 50 – unsurprising when the world’s most visited tourist trap, The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, sees a massive 91 million people.
According to the magazine, accessibility is one of the key drivers, as some remote wonders (such as Yellowstone Park in the USA) are too remote to see the massive traffic other destinations get, while places like Machu Picchu in Peru have become more restricted by government efforts maintain the site’s integrity.
Travel+Leisure determined the ranking by using traffic data from the various sites, as well as government and reliable media data where they could find it.
Tourist attractions are defined as cultural or historical sites, natural landmarks and officially designated spaces, excluding areas used for religious pilgrimages and modern shopping malls.
Here are the 15 most visited tourist attractions in the world:
1. Grand Bazaar, Istanbul – 91.25 million tourists
2. The Zócalo, Mexico City – 85 million tourists
3. Times Square, New York City – 50 million tourists
4. Central Park, New York City 40 million tourists
4. Union Station, Washington, D.C. – 40 million tourists
6. Las Vegas Strip – 30.5 million tourists
7. Meiji Jingu Shrine, Tokyo – 30 million tourists
7. Sensoji Temple, Tokyo – 30 million tourists
9. Niagara Falls, New York and Ontario – 22 million tourists
10. Grand Central Terminal, New York City – 21.6 million tourists
11. Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico City – 20 million tourists
12. Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Orlando, FL – 18.6 million tourists
13. Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston – 18 million tourists
14. Tokyo Disneyland – 17.2 million tourists
15. Disneyland Park, Anaheim, CA – 16.2 million tourists
The full ranking can be found on the Travel+Leisure website.
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