Most Visited Countries 2000 vs 2024

by Writersroom Boardwalk: Travel

France was already on top in 2000 with 77.2 million visitors, and by 2024 it had climbed to 102.0 million. Underneath that, the order shuffled a lot. Spain jumped from 46.4 million (third in 2000) to 93.8 million (second in 2024), while the United States went from 51.2 million in second to 72.4 million in third. Türkiye (Turkey) didn't even make the 2000 list and lands fourth in 2024 with 60.6 million. Italy slipped from fourth to fifth, 41.2 million to 57.7 million. Mexico moved up two spots, 20.6 million to 45.0 million, and the United Kingdom went from sixth to seventh, 23.2 million to 38.2 million. Germany sits eighth in 2024 with 37.4 million after being tenth with 19.0 million. Japan takes ninth at 36.9 million and Greece rounds out the top ten at 36.0 million. China was fifth in 2000 with 31.2 million, Russia seventh with 21.2 million, and Canada ninth with 19.7 million, none of them in the 2024 top ten. Numbers come from UN Tourism (UNWTO) and Our World in Data.