In 2025, the capital of Thailand will once again surpass many European cities, taking the number one position in the top 10 cities welcoming the most international visitors in the world.
The number of foreign visitors to Bangkok exceeded 30.3 million. The data was researched and published by Euromonitor, a UK-based global market research company.
Time Out reviews that Bangkok has long been famous for independent tourists and is becoming more and more attractive with a vibrant nightlife, a series of restaurants and hotels.
In 2025, Bangkok will own one of the most wonderful streets in the world - Charoen Nakhon.
Top 10 cities welcoming the most international visitors in 2025, according to Euromonitor data:
1. Bangkok, Thailand (30.3 million visits)
2. Hong Kong, China (23.2 million)
3. London, UK (22.7 million)
4. Macao, China (20.4 million visits)
5. Istanbul, Turkey (19.7 million visits)
6. Dubai, UAE (19.5 million)
7. Mecca, Saudi Arabia (18.7 million visits)
8. Antalya, Turkey (18.6 million)
9. Paris, France (18.3 million)
10. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (17.3 million visits)
Accordingly, in the top 10, Asian cities dominated with only London and Paris in Europe. The top two positions have belonged to Bangkok and Hong Kong in the Asian region.
In early December, Euromonitor also announced the top 100 destination rankings based on 55 criteria in 6 groups, including economic efficiency, tourism policies, safety, sustainability and overall appeal.
According to this top 100 cities in 2025, Asia Pacific will stand out as the world's second largest region in terms of international visitors, recording the fastest growth globally with a 10% increase in visitors, exceeding 350 million, followed by the Middle East and Africa with a growth rate of 7%.
"In the context of difficult economic conditions and political instability, global tourism has demonstrated a particularly strong recovery over the past year," said Euromonitor's report. International visitors to these top 100 cities increased by 8% to 720 million, showing the ability to adapt, innovate and bring many experiences that world tourists still find attractive".
Euromonitor points out some trends in 2025, for example: To avoid overloading tourists, cities are reshaping tourism strategies, focusing on value instead of quantity.
This means targeting long-term residents, spending more and being more responsible for the local environment and culture.
To meet the growing demand for tourists, the UK and the US have increased entry fees. The European Union is preparing to adopt the European Tourism License System (ETIAS) next year with higher fees.
Meanwhile, Japan is making a series of changes, including increasing visa fees and a new e-tourism licensing system, which could be launched in 2028.
