Bangkok named world’s most visited city



BANGKOK, 27 June 2016 (NNT) - Bangkok is the most visited city in the world, according the famous business magazine, Forbes.

The capital of Thailand became the first Asian city to top the MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index, edging out London, the previous number one, with 15.98 international visitors who generated an estimated 14.4 billion US dollars.

The number of international visitors rose 9.8 percent in the year 2012, Forbes reported. Bangkok’s top five feeder cities are Singapore, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, and Seoul.

Tourism is a major economic factor in Thailand. Estimates of tourism receipts contributing to the Thai GDP, range from 9 percent to 16 percent, thanks to the Tourism Authority of Thailand's (TAT) campaign called "Discover Thainess"

The campaign incorporates the current Thai government’s 12 national core values, among which are the promotion and preservation of Thai traditions and culture. The aim is to showcase the hospitable character of the Thai people and the many cultural assets of Thailand that make it a unique tourist destination.


-- NNT 2016-06-27

But but do they say "WHY"?

Hello others say London is the most visited city.

So who is correct???

Prove it

People who visit Bkk tend to come for 3 days, there is actually very little to see

Thanks to TAT? Wonder how much Mastercard Thailand "donated" to Forbes to get that BS endorsement...

Edited June 27, 201610 yr by jerojero

Pretty sure Paris gets well over 22 million.......

But but do they say "WHY"?

Well for one thing, to get to Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam, most people fly to Bangkok first

... 22 million what? Rats? [emoji39]

Edited June 27, 201610 yr by daveAustin

The numbers used are from 2012.

Discovering Thainess would be a better euphemism for what happens when a holiday goes wrong.

Short time only! How many hookers, in Bangkok?

Hello others say London is the most visited city.

So who is correct???

Among regular tourists London is. Among Pedophiles, alcoholics, sexpats, criminals, drug dealers, murderers and life's scum in general Thailand I am sure is

"The capital of Thailand became the first Asian city to top the MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index, edging out London, the previous number one, with 15.98 international visitors who generated an estimated 14.4 billion US dollars."

I guess we have to assume they mean 16 visitors - I mean how can you have .98 of a visitor?

So, by my calculations, this means each visitor must have spent an estimated US$900 Million - some quality tourists there! haha

Pretty sure Paris gets well over 22 million.......

I don't think that Terrorists are considered to be Tourists.

Really? The "Discover Thainess" campaign was the reason behind the increase in numbers? Nothing to do with cheap package tours, or the fact that Bangkok is a useful airline hub?

that's the most assinine statement that I have ever read! Bangkok? you got to be kidding! there is no way that bangkok would be the most visited city. forbes must have been paid a lot of money to publish that lie!

"The capital of Thailand became the first Asian city to top the MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index, edging out London, the previous number one, with 15.98 international visitors who generated an estimated 14.4 billion US dollars."

I guess we have to assume they mean 16 visitors - I mean how can you have .98 of a visitor?

Probably someone left without a leg to stand on.

Or just a foot shorter than when they arrived.

Sorry...

They count all the people passing through swampy to go to other destinations. Some of them are 2-3 hour visits

Forbes obviously neglected to vet the TAT press release.

They count all the people passing through swampy to go to other destinations. Some of them are 2-3 hour visits

And Thai nationals departing and arriving.

Pretty sure Paris gets well over 22 million.......

I don't think that Terrorists are considered to be Tourists.

I guess if you include the latest group of immigrants camped in Calais....then 24 million:)

This really is a BS piece, which attempts to link the Bangkok visitor numbers to the 'Discover Thainess' campaign and the government's 12 core 'values.

But the tourism numbers relate to 2012. At which time (if memory serves me), the 'Discover Thainess' campaign had not yet begun and the 12 core values were still up to 3 years away. In fact, the treasonous coup was still being plotted at the time the numbers relate to. and Suthep had not yet begun to rampage on the streets of Bangkok.

This is a very deceitful piece of journalism. Well, very deceitful of very stupid, take yer pick.

Winnie

Edited June 27, 201610 yr by Winniedapu

People who visit Bkk tend to come for 3 days, there is actually very little to see

But a lot to do I guess

They count all the people passing through swampy to go to other destinations. Some of them are 2-3 hour visits

I don't think so. They count the number of arrivals by foreigners who stay one night or more in the city. However, I suspect the figures would have to include those who have spent just one night at the airport hotel only for the purpose of resting before catching their connecting flight the next day.

I don't see how it is possible to distinguish in the figures, between those who do a quick tour of the city, or visit some famous tourist attraction during the few hours they have to spare before their connecting flight, and those who are not interested.

If someone spends money in the airport, on hotel accommodation, on eating and drinking, and possibly buying souvenirs or duty-free products, then he is playing the role of a tourist.

If one were to include everyone who lands at a city's international airport, for whatever reason, the figures would be much higher, as the following pdf article explains.

https://newsroom.mastercard.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/MasterCard-GDCI-2015-Final-Report1.pdf

To quote: "The international arrivals figures also include transit passengers, city residents returning from overseas trips,and passengers arriving from other domestic airports, which are excluded in the estimates of international overnight visitors."

The articles also states:

"London is again the world top-ranked destination city with 18.82 million international visitors expected in 2015, slightly ahead of the second-ranked Bangkok with 18.24 million. London has topped the Index in five out of seven years, except 2012 and 2013, when Bangkok held the lead position. Given the very thin margin that London has over Bangkok, about half a million international visitors, their rivalry for the top rank is likely to persist. They are followed by Paris, Dubai, Istanbul, New York, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul and Hong Kong in the world top ten."

I can't find any actual figures for London in 2015, only projected figures. But I can find actual figures for Bangkok at the following site.

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/01/27/thailand-is-asia-pacifics-most-popular-tourist-destination-says-mastercard.html

To quote: "The Thai capital saw 21.9 million international overnight visitors in 2015, a 28.6 percent growth from the year before, said MasterCard."

This figure is higher than the 'cnbc.com' projected figure of 18.82 million international visitors to London for 2015, so I think it's quite plausible that Bangkok really is the world's most visited city. Wow!

Old lies ripen with age.

Man, that is a lot of antibiotics.

The Euromonito Top 10

1. Hong Kong (27,770,000 visitors in 2014)
2. London (16,784,000)
3. Singapore (17,146,700)
4. Bangkok (17,467,800)
5. Paris (15,271,900)
6. Macau (13,935,300)
7. Shenzhen (12,148,900)
8. New York City (11,850,400)
9. Istanbul (10,486,300)
10. Kuala Lumpur (11,182,300)

They count all the people passing through swampy to go to other destinations. Some of them are 2-3 hour visits

And Thai nationals departing and arriving.

And all the ghosts that live in swampy. Peeeeeeeeeeeee.

Edited June 27, 201610 yr by Mook23

'In the World' ... lol ... in the World of Asia, yes, probably.

Londoners will tell you that London is #1, Parisians that Paris is #1, New Yorkers that NY is #1 etc.

What is #1 all over the world, for sure, is parochialism and narrow minded nationalism.

The Euromonito Top 10

1. Hong Kong (27,770,000 visitors in 2014)
2. London (16,784,000)
3. Singapore (17,146,700)
4. Bangkok (17,467,800)
5. Paris (15,271,900)
6. Macau (13,935,300)
7. Shenzhen (12,148,900)
8. New York City (11,850,400)
9. Istanbul (10,486,300)
10. Kuala Lumpur (11,182,300)

Meanwhile, over at MasterCard.

http://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2015-06-03/the-10-most-visited-cities-of-2015-london-bangkok-new-york/10