Bangkok tops Paris, London as world's most-visited city - MasterCard

By Chayut Setboonsarng

 

FILE PHOTO: Tourists enjoy a swimming pool at a hotel in central Bangkok, Thailand, January 21, 2019. REUTERS/Jorge Silva/File Photo

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's capital, Bangkok, edged out Paris and London as the world's most popular city to visit, according to a survey released on Wednesday, welcome news for Thailand after worries over a drop in foreign arrivals.

 

Bangkok was named the most-visited city for the fourth consecutive year, with about 22.8 million visitors reported in the annual rankings by MasterCard Inc <MA.N>.

 

Paris and London were ranked second and third, each with about 19.1 million arrivals, trailed by Dubai with 15.9 million.

 

Other Southeast Asian cities, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur were fourth and fifth in the rankings, based on third-party research, proprietary analysis and public data across 200 destination cities.

 

New York, Istanbul, Tokyo and Antalya, Turkey, rounded out the top 10.

 

The number of international visitors across the 200 cities grew by 76% in the last 10 years.

 

Despite Bangkok's longtime reign atop the list, the Thai tourism industry has faced headwinds, with arrivals dropping 1.03% year-on-year in May before recovering to grow 0.89% in June from a year earlier.

 

Tourism accounts for about 12% of Thailand's economy.

 

However, weaker Chinese economic growth and a boat accident last year led to a drop off in Chinese arrivals in Thailand in the first half of this year.

 

The downturn in the number of visitors from China was partially offset by Indian arrivals.

 

Thailand expects to welcome 2 million Indian tourists in 2019, the governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Yuthasak Supasorn, told Reuters, adding this was one year earlier than its target.

 

In August, the government extended a waiver of a 2,000 baht (53 pounds) fee for visa-on-arrivals for tourists from 18 countries including those from China and India.

 

A growing middle class and increasing wealth in populations and the rise of low-cost airlines will make travel more accessible, Minor Hotels <MINT.BK> Chief Executive, Dilip Rajakrier, said in an email.

 

"Given only less than 10% of the China's total population having passports today. The potential of the Chinese market will never fade," he said.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-09-04

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I spent the weekend in Singapore, and what an amazing city of world class attractions, sights, restaurants, street food, street life and nightlife. It's clean, orderly safe and easy to drive around. You could easily spend a week there and never get bored.

 

Why would people visit Bangkok? It's a serious question, as I can't think of really anything world class to visit or do. And its sure not clean, safe, orderly or easy to get around. Is it still considered exotic? 

Everyone with an amex and visa card went to London and NY to report their whereabouts????   

In TAT we trust..

55 minutes ago, DLock said:

 

Why would people visit Bangkok? 

A lot of media about the TM30.

 

This very popular, everyone want to do one now.

Edited September 4, 20196 yr by Yinn

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand expects to welcome 2 million Indian tourists in 2019, the governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Yuthasak Supasorn, told Reuters, adding this was one year earlier than its target.

 

Oh no. All the anti Indian member will get angry again!!!

 

indian tourist ok. Everybody say “they don’t spend money”

But they not get the free hotel. They not get the free food. They not get the free can coke to share. 

They do get free straws.

 

Welcome to Thailand, have a good time!

54 minutes ago, DLock said:

I spent the weekend in Singapore, and what an amazing city of world class attractions, sights, restaurants, street food, street life and nightlife. It's clean, orderly safe and easy to drive around. You could easily spend a week there and never get bored.

 

Why would people visit Bangkok? It's a serious question, as I can't think of really anything world class to visit or do. And its sure not clean, safe, orderly or easy to get around. Is it still considered exotic? 

For me, I like the anarchistic Buddhist culture as opposed to as mercantilist chinese/asian version of a western city with "attractions". Wax Museums I can do without. Plus its a helluva lot cheaper to live here.

 

 

2 minutes ago, Yinn said:

Oh no. All the anti Indian member will get angry again!!!

 

indian tourist ok. Everybody say “they don’t spend money”

But they not get the free hotel. They not get the free food. They not get the free can coke to share. 

They do get free straws.

 

Welcome to Thailand, have a good time!

Thats true, even a 30 baht baht coke shared between 6 people is still 30 baht in the till.

Horrible place..

Minimal green space..polluted as hell..filth everywhere and a muddy brown river...

 

 

8 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

For me, I like the anarchistic Buddhist culture as opposed to as mercantilist chinese/asian version of a western city with "attractions". Wax Museums I can do without. Plus its a helluva lot cheaper to live here.

 

 

It is about tourism not living here. Three days is all most need in Bkk, trip on the river and wat po/wat arun, JIm Thompson house, couple of malls like Icon, trip into China town and that's about it. Unless you feel the need to waste money on 'nightlife' which these days is probably as much as back home, tattooed tarts in bikinis is not worth flying half way around the word for.

Edited September 4, 20196 yr by Orton Rd

1 minute ago, Orton Rd said:

It is about tourism not living here. Three days is all most need in Bkk, trip on the river and wat po/wat arun, JIm Thompson house, couple of malls like Icon, trip into China town and that's about it.

Three days? LOL OK.

 

Ill tell ya what, for every "attraction" worthy of tourism ya find in Singapore, I'll give ya one back in greater BKK and Ill still be posting them a year from now while you are stuck in Raffles.

Just now, Nyezhov said:

Three days? LOL OK.

 

Ill tell ya what, for every "attraction" worthy of tourism ya find in Singapore, I'll give ya one back in greater BKK and Ill still be posting them a year from now while you are stuck in Raffles.

Go on then, leaving out the sex tourist dumps, which does not officially exist of course

11 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

It is about tourism not living here. Three days is all most need in Bkk, trip on the river and wat po/wat arun, JIm Thompson house, couple of malls like Icon, trip into China town and that's about it. Unless you feel the need to waste money on 'nightlife' which these days is probably as much as back home, tattooed tarts in bikinis is not worth flying half way around the word for.

hmmm i think you must be doing it wrong, i read somewhere that you are supposed to remove the bikinis

9 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

Go on then, leaving out the sex tourist dumps, which does not officially exist of course

Sex tourist dumps? Thats so immature and 20th century.

 

Ya got 400 Wats in BKK alone, get a grip. Hell I could keep a tourist busy for two weeks.

 

3 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

Sex tourist dumps? Thats so immature and 20th century.

 

Ya got 400 Wats in BKK alone, get a grip. Hell I could keep a tourist busy for two weeks.

 

I sort of get templed out after one or two visits.in fact apart from looking pretty and being quite peaceful there's not much about them.in fact I would rather visit a good old cathedral where you can appreciate the architecture and history.if you stuck one beside the other it would make the temple look like a fun fair.

anyway I was born in London and I can say it's a poo potty the same as Bangkok.

A long weekend in Bangkok.
Spend 70% of your time in line and harassed by greedy overweight ladies. Wasted money traveling to Thailand.

6 minutes ago, Bangkokazy said:

A long weekend in Bangkok.
Spend 70% of your time in line and harassed by greedy overweight ladies. Wasted money traveling to Thailand.

Yeah or just enjoy your evening on one of the rooftop bars like everyone else?

That's what non grouptour tourists are doing...

Is  it also the top  place where mastercard stop  your  card for possible fraudulent activity also as they keep  stopping  mine, 4  times this year so far.

7 minutes ago, ThomasThBKK said:

Yeah or just enjoy your evening on one of the rooftop bars like everyone else?

That's what non grouptour tourists are doing...

You mean that

Edited September 4, 20196 yr by Bangkokazy

So since you on the dark site what do you think

about meeting point (the restaurant)

17 minutes ago, White Christmas13 said:

So since you on the dark site what do you think

about meeting point (the restaurant)

not my thing. never ventured inside.

are you still considering new dao café, or booked in already

6 minutes ago, jastheace said:

not my thing. never ventured inside.

are you still considering new dao café, or booked in already

yes I booked I just like to know if that restaurant is worth visiting

it caters for German food and the prices are OK?

1 minute ago, White Christmas13 said:

yes I booked I just like to know if that restaurant is worth visiting

it caters for German food and the prices are OK?

sorry, as I say, not my thing. tripadvisor may help. I trust u will rent a bike to get about, as dao is a bit isolated. I was near khao talo, but now near Sattahip, i need to amend my location on my profile. I tend to hang out either at ban chang or bang sare. pattaya occasionally, darkside very rarely now. enjoy yr trip. 

8 minutes ago, jastheace said:

sorry, as I say, not my thing. tripadvisor may help. I trust u will rent a bike to get about, as dao is a bit isolated. I was near khao talo, but now near Sattahip, i need to amend my location on my profile. I tend to hang out either at ban chang or bang sare. pattaya occasionally, darkside very rarely now. enjoy yr trip. 

No I will not hire a bike I am to old for that I am staying with my lady friend

and  always used a taxi

Edited September 4, 20196 yr by White Christmas13
spelling

3 hours ago, Yinn said:

A lot of media about the TM30.

 

This very popular, everyone want to do one now.

And some people think that Thais don't get irony!

4 minutes ago, jastheace said:

sitting out the front of my house with friends, but they only leave when the beers run out, but they brought along some of their own ( for a change) so still a fair few to get through, maybe a sun riser today.

Staying up all night drinking beer and talking nonsense - harmless fun - but, don't forget to submit the TM30's for all your foreign mates who stay until sunrise.

5 hours ago, DLock said:

I spent the weekend in Singapore, and what an amazing city of world class attractions, sights, restaurants, street food, street life and nightlife. It's clean, orderly safe and easy to drive around. You could easily spend a week there and never get bored.

 

Why would people visit Bangkok? It's a serious question, as I can't think of really anything world class to visit or do. And its sure not clean, safe, orderly or easy to get around. Is it still considered exotic? 

Only the very wealthy can afford to drive in Singapore. Its a small Island City state which you can do in a couple of weeks which is why many Singaporeans visit Thailand.  Bangkok is a sprawling   teeming metropolitan with many different areas. Its perfectly safe, used to have good nightlife but even now its dtill better than Singapore which is anodyne  sterile and lacks funk. It has less bars  clubs  GoGo bars   art galleries, museums,  food stall and malls etc than Bangkok. Singapore has a remarkable history mainly thanks to the British. I guess Amish types and unadventurous folk might like it because it has no challenges. Its the grit in the oyster that makes the pearl! Singapore lost its grit when they closed down boogie st.

5 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

It is about tourism not living here. Three days is all most need in Bkk, trip on the river and wat po/wat arun, JIm Thompson house, couple of malls like Icon, trip into China town and that's about it. Unless you feel the need to waste money on 'nightlife' which these days is probably as much as back home, tattooed tarts in bikinis is not worth flying half way around the word for.

You would need a life time to explore Bangkok. The shallow , tired tourist trail you mention is a cliche. Nightlife  wining and dining at towering rooftop bars  the bright lights and neon is important to all but social hermit. As for flyin around the world for girls in Bikinis..the starts when the bikinis fall to the carpet in your hotel room. Add crazy girls on soi 23 to your list...live a little. You're not in a dull UK suburb now....or maybe you are. 'You can take a man out of the suburb but you cant take the suburb out of the man'. Stick to Clacton on Sea or Blackburn because Asia is wasted on you. 

A post using some slang language has been removed as well as the replies. 

 

Other troll posts and the replies were removed as well. 

10 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Bangkok was named the most-visited city for the fourth consecutive year, with about 22.8 million visitors reported in the annual rankings by MasterCard Inc <MA.N>.

This is only with reference to MasterCard what about adding the correct tourist numbers or even Visa Card members