Although it was the top international travel destination in the 1970s, Italy is no longer the most popular tourist destination, ranking fifth in 2013. The country that was the most popular tourist destination in 2013 was France, followed by the United States, China and Spain. The decline in popularity for Italy as a tourist destination is thought to be a result of a lack of marketing, as well as a lack of the public transportation system needed for tourists to travel easily across the country.
More about popular tourist destinations:
The most popular tourist attraction in the world is the Las Vegas Strip, which received about 39.6 million visitors in 2013, followed by Central Park in New York City, which had around 39.2 million visitors.
Ten of the world’s 50 most visited tourist destinations in 2013 were Disney-themed parks.
Tourists who visit the Chinese region of Macau, also referred to as the Las Vegas of the Far East, spend the most money: an estimated $3,213 US Dollars per person, as of 2013.