By 2030, This Will Be The Most Visited Country in the World

According to a recent report, a new country will replace France as the most visited country in the world by 2030.

For so long, France—the land of baguettes, the Louvre, and joie de vivre—has been the most popular tourist destination in the world. In 2018, it’s estimated that 87 million people visited, 23 million heading to Paris alone. But, according to a new report, a new country, on a new continent, will soon take the top spot. Per the research company Euromonitor International, China will become the world’s most visited country by 2030.

There’s a couple factors at play: one, economic growth across Asia, which means people have more expendable income to spend on travel. Countries like Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam are some of the biggest populations traveling to cities and sights around China.

Another contributing factor is that today, China is simply easier to visit than ever before. Per the Associated Press: “Tourism is a key pillar of the Chinese economy, and much investment has been made to improve infrastructure and standards, in addition to tourism-friendly policies and initiatives,“ said Euromonitor's senior travel analyst, Wouter Geerts.

So, people are flocking. To the Great Wall, to the Forbidden City in Beijing, to the French Concession in Shanghai, to China’s 52 UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The tourism industry is responding in kind. Shanghai, for example, saw a slew of luxury hotels open in 2018. To name a few—Amanyangyun, the Bulgari, the Edition, the Bellagio, the Middle House, and the Shimao Wonderland InterContinental (which, built inside an abandoned rock quarry, has 16 floors underground.)

And, by 2030, there's sure to be many more names on that list.

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