Bangkok becomes the new king of tourism taking over London as the world's most-visited city this year, all thanks to cheaper living costs and facilities for travel and entertainment, as per the MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index 2016.
According to the study, the Thailand capital is projected to receive 21.47 million in international overnight visitors in 2016, just ahead of second-ranked London, reported Business Wire. The Index provides more than a ranking of the 132 most visited cities around the world.
“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," Cairns added.
The biggest surprise in 2016 Index was the jump of Dubai, now world’s fourth most visited city with a projected 15.27 million visitors spending some US$31.3 billion, reported Gulf News, far exceeding the second ranked London estimated at US$19.8 billion.
Bangkok rise to the top owed to the relatively cheap cost of living and value for money, which became the major source drawing tourists to Bangkok for years, said Yuwa Hedrick-Wong, chief economist at the MasterCard Center for Inclusive Growth. "Bangkok is very attractive for every class of international visitor, from businessmen from high-income countries to backpackers coming for leisure," said Yuwa, reported the Bangkok Post.
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