Most Visited Cities in the World - L.A. #20

Photos, left: Wat Phra Kaeo in the Grand Palace is among Bangkok's major tourist attractions. Although Bangkok's sex tourism scene is well known, it is not openly acknowledged by locals or the government. Right: Downtown Los Angeles and Hollywood sign. Los Angeles is often billed as the "Creative Capital of the World", due to the fact that one in every six of its residents works in a creative industry.

Los Angeles #20, Bangkok #1

The capital of Thailand (Bangkok) experienced 18% growth in  two years, 2011 & 2012. It became the most visited city in the world.

Only two U.S. cities made the Top 20 list for 2012 year: No. 5 New York City,  and  No. 20 Los Angeles.

When it came to visitor spending, however, New York did take the top spot, with an estimated $18.6 billion in international overnight visitor spending. By that measure, Bangkok, with $14.3 billion, ranked No. 4.

Rank | City | # International Visitors in Millions

1. Bangkok 15.98

2. London 15.96

3. Paris 13.92

4. Singapore 11.75

5. New York 11.52

6. Istanbul 10.37

7. Dubai 9.89

8. Kuala Lumpur 9.20

9. Hong Kong 8.72

10. Barcelona 8.41

11. Seoul 8.19

12. Milan 6.83

13. Rome 6.71

14. Shanghai 6.50

15. Amsterdam 6.35

16. Tokyo 5.80

17. Vienna 5.37

18. Taipei 5.19

19. Riyadh 5.05

20. Los Angeles 4.84

Rankings by Global Destinations Cities Index by MasterCard

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