France welcomed 85 million tourists, the most in the world; Taiwan sees high growth, ranking 10th globally

▲ The Arc de Triomphe in Paris is one of the must-visit attractions in France. (Photo / Screenshot from Wikipedia)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

According to a Reuters report, France remained the world’s top tourist destination in 2013, attracting around 84.7 million visitors. A major factor was the rapid increase in mainland Chinese tourists, along with a rebound in the number of North American visitors.

France’s tourism industry performed slightly better last year compared to the previous year, with visitor numbers increasing by 2% from 2012. The Reuters report also mentioned that there were 4.5 million Asian tourists in 2013, while North American visitors, who had declined during the financial crisis, continued to rebound, reaching 4.2 million last year.

France has always been one of the top choices for travelers, not only because of world-renowned attractions such as the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, and the Champs-Élysées, but also due to its internationally acclaimed food culture, which is a major draw. From foie gras, French bread, and cheese to wine, the endless list of specialty dishes makes this destination a must-visit culinary haven for food lovers around the world. The French-originated Michelin Guide is also the world’s leading food rating system. The French government estimates that tourism contributes about 6.5% to the overall GDP.

Among other major tourist destinations,the United States ranked second with 69.8 million visitors, while Spain, despite its high unemployment rate, maintained third place with 60.7 million visitors.It’s worth mentioning that Taiwan also performed well in this regard. According to statistics from the Tourism Bureau, the island welcomed over 8 million visitors last year. Based on the analysis report released by UNWTO (World Tourism Organization) in January 2014,Taiwan’s international tourist growth rate last year was 9.64%, ranking 10th in the world.