Mastercard released its Destination Cities Index, ranking 132 global cities by international overnight visitors and visitor spending for 2016.
Leading the list for international overnight visitors is Bangkok, which drew nearly 20 million visitors in 2016 and was forecast to grow about 4 percent in 2017. Trailing Bangkok in visitor numbers are London, Paris, Dubai, Singapore, New York, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo and Istanbul.
When measured by international overnight visitor spending, Dubai tops the ranking with $28.5 billion in 2016 and an expected spend growth of about 10 percent in 2017. New York ranks second at roughly $17 billion in spending, with a much smaller projected increase of 1.5 percent. Other high-spending destinations include London, Singapore, Bangkok, Paris, Tokyo, Taipei, Seoul and Barcelona.
Overall, total visitors to the 132 destinations in the index increased 55.2 percent since 2009. Some of the strongest long-term performers include Osaka, Chengdu and Colombo, each posting growth rates exceeding 20 percent over that period.
The report also highlights travel purpose. Most city visits recorded were for leisure, while certain markets show a heavier business focus—Shanghai, for example, registered nearly half of visits as business travel. By contrast, Kuala Lumpur had the highest share of leisure travelers, at more than 92 percent.
Spending patterns vary by city. Dining makes up the largest share of visitor spending in Istanbul, shopping is the primary expenditure category for visitors to Seoul, and lodging comprises the greatest portion of visitor spending in Paris.
“We are seeing more people than ever visiting cities for business or leisure. At the same time, we know that people expect their experiences when traveling to be both seamless and personal. The call to action is clear. Cities that apply technology to simplify services and connect people with their passion points can become true destination cities and realize the benefits of increased visitors and greater spending,” said Carlos Menendez, president of enterprise partnerships at Mastercard.