and The United States, and loosened travel restrictions after a 53-year long embargo.

Although the embargo is still in effect, more than 3 million tourists are expected to visit

the country through 2015. And while 3 million may be a sizeable number, it actually pales

in comparison to some tourist hotspots around the world. So, what are the most visited countries in the world?

Well, travel and tourism is a huge industry, which currently is thought to account for

9% of the global GDP, or $7 trillion dollars. In 2015, over a billion tourists travelled

the world, up by roughly 50 million compared to earlier years. Every region in the world

recently saw about a 5% increase in tourism, with the big exception of Africa, where tourism

dropped by 6%. As the global economy recovers from the 2008 recession, the UN World Tourism

Organization predicts tourism will grow 3 to 4% in the coming years.

France reigns supreme for worldwide tourism, and has for many years. In 2014, it drew over 84 million travellers.

The country has a rich cultural history with nearly 40 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The most visited city is Paris, where top destinations include the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower.

It also shares a border with eight other European countries, making it easily accessible for many people.

France offers a multitude of vacation options, from ski resorts to Mediterranean beaches.

Ironically, reports indicate

that France is generally not especially fond of its own tourism industry,

and in June 2015, the French Ministry of Affairs announced that improving

attitudes towards foreigners is a “national priority”.

Second on the list of most visited countries is the United States, with 74 million travelers.

And although the US ranks second behind France in number of tourists, it actually makes more

than twice much money. Experts say this is because trips to the US often last longer

than many French weekend getaways. America has about 2,500 National Historic Landmarks,

and its most visited attraction is Times Square in New York City.

The third most popular destination for tourists is Spain. With

the third highest number of UNESCO world heritage sites and sunny beaches year round, Spain

draws a major crowd of about 60 millons a year. It accounts for as much as 11% of their GDP. In recent years Spain

has seen a large jump in visitors because terrorist attacks have affected competing

beach vacation spots in Egypt and Turkey. Additionally, Spain draws Spanish-speakers

from Latin America, giving it a boost over Italy’s tourist industry.

As the travel business booms, developing countries are also seeking much-needed profits from more

tourism investment. China in particular has spent huge sums of money on their travel industry

in the last decade. They are currently the primary source of tourists, and the fourth

largest recipient of foreign travellers. Although the tourism industry took a huge hit in the

late-2000s global economic downturn, it has been slowly recovering, and today is known

to be an invaluable source of capital for many countries.

One strategy many cities use to attract tourists is to build massive mega-structures, like

Shanghai Disneyland. Learn more about these attractions in this video.

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