http://www.forbes.

com/pictures/ehlk45iehm/1-bangkok/
1Bangkok
The Thai
capital
became
the first
Asian
city to
top the

MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index, edging out London, the previous No.
1, with 15.98 international visitors who generated an estimated US$14.4 billion.
International visitor numbers rose a vigorous 9.8 percent in 2012. Bangkok's top
five feeder cities are Singapore, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Seoul.
Pictured: Royal State Barge cruises past the Grand Palace.

2 - London
London was last year's No. 1 and still remains the top destination in
Europe with 15.96 international visitors. Its revenue from these
visitors (US$16.3 billion) was ahead of Bangkok's by nearly $2 billion.
The top five feeder cities to London are Dublin, New York, Stockholm,
Amsterdam and Frankfurt. Pictured: Houses of Parliament and London Eye.

3 - Paris
Paris was the only city in the top 10 to lose international visitors
since the last index was published. Its top five feeder cities are
London, New York, Tokyo, Rome and Frankfurt. Pictured: Champs-Elysees at
night

4 - Singapore

4 - Singapore
The Southeast Asian city-state sits at the crossroads of the AsiaPacific region and has an active commercial sector, fantastic food scene
and a world-leading airline. Pictured: a 'bumboat' cruising past the
Merlion statue on the harbor.

5 - New York
The only city in the Americas in the top 10 for international travelers,
New York also topped the Global Destination Cities Index in terms of
revenue generated from them (US$18.6 billion). Top sources of
international travelers were London, Toronto, Sao Paolo, Paris and
Buenos Aires. Pictured: the Manhattan skyline and Empire State Building.

6 - Istanbul
The Global Destination Cities Index cites the location of Turkey's
largest city, at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, as a big reason for
its popularity as a destination. If its growth in air travel
connectivity continues at current rates, the report predicts it will
enter the top five destinations by 2016. Pictured: Aya Sophia Mosque.
.

7 - Dubai
The only Middle East destination in the top 10, Dubai had 9.89 million
international visitors, nearly twice as many as the next most popular
destination in the Middle East and Africa, Riyadh, and nearly four times
as many as the third, Johannesburg. Along with Bangkok, it had the
second largest year-on-year growth in the index, 10.9 percent. Pictured:
Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building at 2,723 feet (829.84
meters).

8 - Kuala Lumpur
The index's authors say that Malaysian capital is an important link
between Asia and the Middle East. Its top five international feeder
cities were Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok, Melbourne and Manila. Pictured:
Petronas Towers dominate the skyline.

9. - Hong Kong
The index's authors cite Hong Kong among China's important "origin
cities" and it continues to be a destination as well. Pictured: Star
Ferry crossing Hong Kong Harbour.

10 - Barcelona
Spain may be suffering through economic woes, but Barcelona remains a
big draw, especially for travelers from farther north in Europe; top
feeder cities were London, Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Munich.
Pictured: Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia.