20 cities attracting most tourists in the world

Cities across the world are expanding airports, constructing hotels and improving facilities all to attract tourist dollars. With tourism playing a major part of many economies, it's not a surprise that many destinations are going out of their way to woo visitors.

Let's take a look at 20 cities that attracted most international visitors in 2013.

Source: Mastercard Global Cities Index

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Bangkok

Country: Thailand

International overnight visitors in 2013: 15.98 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 1

Bangkok has many attractions, ranging from royal palaces and temples to shopping and eating joints. The city is also well-known for its exciting nightlife, cultural scene and historical locations. Apart from foreign visitors, Thailand's capital also sees huge number of domestic travellers.

Its main airport, Suvarnabhumi Airport, is the 14th busiest in the world.

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London

Country: The United Kingdom

International overnight visitors in 2013: 15.96 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 2

Some of the major attractions in London are Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Tower of London, Buckingham Palace and London Eye. It's also famous for its parks, such as St James's Park, Hyde Park and Hampstead Heath.

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Paris

Country: France

International overnight visitors in 2013: 13.92 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 3

Paris, the city of romance, has some of the most loved attractions in the world, including the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Champs-Elysees and Notre Dame de Paris. To make commuting easy, the city has several forms of transport, such as buses, Metro and boats.

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Singapore

Country: Singapore

International overnight visitors in 2013: 11.75 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 4

Singapore has many things going for itself, such as low crime rate, prevalence of English language and world-class infrastructure. The city-state gets more visitors annually than its population.

Some of the major attractions are Orchard Road district, Marina Bay Sands, Resorts World Sentosa and Singapore Zoo.

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New York City

Country: The United States

International overnight visitors in 2013: 11.52 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 5

New York City, one of the world's most visited cities in the world, has several attractions for both domestic and international visitors. Some of the most well-known hotspots are Times Square, Fifth and Madison Avenues, Statue of Liberty and Broadway.

Some of the events that see huge numbers of tourists include Halloween Parade, Labor Day Carnival and New York Marathon.

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Istanbul

Country: Turkey

International overnight visitors in 2013: 10.37 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 6

Istanbul, one of the world's leading conference centres, has thousands of hotels and destinations attracting both business and leisure travellers. Its two main airports handle millions of passengers every year.

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Dubai

Country: The United Arab Emirates

International overnight visitors in 2013: 9.89 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 7

Dubai, which is called the Shopping Destination of the Middle East, is famous for its malls, desert safari, parks and nightlife. It has some of the best hotels and also boasts the tallest building, Burj Khalifa, in the world.

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Kuala Lumpur

Country: Malaysia

International overnight visitors in 2013: 9.20 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 8

Kuala Lumpur, which has more than 60 shopping malls, is a tourist magnate for its dining experience, cultural scene and nightlife. Some of the major attractions are Petaling Street, the National Palace, Petronas Twin Towers and Suria KLCC.

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Hong Kong

Country: Hong Kong

International overnight visitors in 2013: 8.72 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 9

Tourism is one of the most important economic activity in Hong Kong. The city has number of attractions, including Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, Peninsula Hotel and Star Ferry Pier.

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Barcelona

Country: Spain

International overnight visitors in 2013: 8.41 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 10

Barcelona, a city known for its moderate climate, has some of the best beaches in the world, excellent hotels, shopping areas and top-class infrastructure.

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Seoul

Country: South Korea

International overnight visitors in 2013: 8.19 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 11

Seoul, the capital of South Korea, is a city of shopping malls, cultural attractions and dynamic nightlife. Some of the best shopping areas are Dongdaemun Market, Namdaemun market, Insa-dong and Gangnam.

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Milan

Country: Italy

International overnight visitors in 2013: 6.83 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 12

Milan has several tourist attractions, such as Duomo and Piazza, Teatro alla Scala, San Siro Stadium, and is known for entertainment, cultural scene and leisure opportunities.

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Rome

Country: Italy

International overnight visitors in 2013: 6.71 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 13

Rome, which has been one of the most popular tourist destination for long time, has some of the most visited sites in the world, including Vatican Museums, Colosseum, St Peter's Basilica and Trevi Fountain.

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Shanghai

Country: China

International overnight visitors in 2013: 6.50 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 14

Shanghai, one of the fastest growing cities in the world, is famous for its excellent infrastructure, exciting nightlife, cultural scenes and eating delights.

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Amsterdam

Country: The Netherlands

International overnight visitors in 2013: 6.35 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 15

Amsterdam is a city that has attractions ranging from museums to shopping districts to canals and red-light areas. Some of the famous destinations are the canals, Rijksmuseum museum, Albert Cuyp Market, Amsterdam Diamond Centre and De Wallen, a red-light district.

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Tokyo

Country: Japan

International overnight visitors in 2013: 5.80 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 16

Tokyo, which has two main airports, has several popular destinations, such as Imperial Palace, Meiji Shrine, Tokyo National Museum and Tsukiji Fish Market.

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Vienna

Country: Austria

International overnight visitors in 2013: 5.37 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 17

Vienna, which is once again seeing a surge in visitor numbers, has several world famous attractions, such as Schonbrunn Palace, Tiergarten Schonbrunn, the world's oldest zoo, and Vienna State Opera. The city offers both historical delights and dynamic nightlife.

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Taipei

Country: Taiwan

International overnight visitors in 2013: 5.19 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 18

Taipei, the capital of Taiwan has number of destinations for both international and domestic travellers, including Taipei 101, Shilin Night Market, Beitou Hot Springs and Huaxi Street Tourist Night Market.

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Riyadh

Country: Saudi Arabia

International overnight visitors in 2013: 5.05 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 19

Riyadh, one of the richest cities in the world, is the commercial and political capital of Saudi Arabia. Many multinational companies and banks are based in the city.

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Los Angeles

Country: The United States

International overnight visitors in 2013: 4.84 million

Overall rank in tourist numbers: 20

Los Angeles, home of Hollywood, has some of the most famous attractions, such as Walt Disney Concert Hall, Kodak Theatre, Griffith Observatory and the Getty Center. It also boasts some of the biggest companies in the globe.