The rating was compiled on the basis of the annual Global Attractions Attendance Report (GAAR), which is traditionally devoted to the analysis of amusement parks and water parks, as well as museum attendance. In addition, the own data of tourist places were taken into account, if tickets are not sold at the facility.
So, the most popular place in the world is the Istanbul Grand Bazaar, which is visited annually by 91,250,000 people. This unique covered market has existed since the XV century, occupies 52 streets and is so huge that it feels like a separate city within a city. Tourists come here to admire the ancient vaults of the market building, buy handmade ceramics, carpets and jewelry in the Byzantine style.
In second place was the main square of the capital of Mexico - the Zócalo, which is located in the historic center of Mexico City. It is visited annually by 85 million people. The rectangular area in the Baroque style occupies more than 46 thousand square meters. m and is the largest in Latin America. In the world ranking of the largest areas in the world, the Zócalo ranks second, second only to Red Square.
In third place in the world ranking is New York's Times Square. It is here that the famous Broadway theaters and numerous shops are located, and neon advertising and interactive signs have made Times Square almost the main symbol of the turbulent life of Manhattan.
The fourth or fifth places are shared by all other American attractions - Central Park of New York and Union Station in Washington. The total number of visitors is about 40 million people a year.
In sixth place is the central street of Las Vegas, called the Las Vegas Strip. This is a seven-kilometer section of Las Vegas Boulevard, along which 30.5 million people pass annually.
On the seventh or eighth places with an equal number of visitors are the Tokyo attractions of the Shinto shrine of Meiji Jingu and the temple of Sensoji.
Meiji Jingu is considered a unique example of Japanese temple architecture. The shrine is located in the center of Tokyo and covers an area of about 710 square meters. m, and Sensoji is the oldest Buddhist temple in Tokyo. These sights are visited annually by 30 million people.
In ninth place of the rating was Niagara Falls. Its beauty attracts many tourists from all over the world, which contributes to the prosperity of the cities located on the shores of the waterfall - Niagara Falls (New York, USA) and Niagara Falls (Ontario, Canada). This waterfall is considered the most powerful in North America in terms of the volume of water passing through it. 22 million tourists a year come to see the miracle of nature with their own eyes.
Closes the top 10 most visited places in the world Grand Central Station of New York, which surpasses any other station in the world in the number of platforms and tracks. Every year there are 21.6 million people here.
It is noteworthy that in the top 50 most visited places on the planet were 15 theme parks at once, including the famous Disney World in Orlando, Florida, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland in California and Tokyo DisneySea, as well as South Korean theme parks Everland and Lotte World. In total, about 120 million visitors come to amusement parks for holidays annually.
- Grand Bazaar, Istanbul, Turkey, 91 250 000
2. Zócalo, Mexico City, Mexico, 85 000 000
3. Times Square, New York, USA, 50 000 00
4–5. Central Park, New York, USA, 40,000,000
4–5. Union Station, Washington, USA, 40 000 00
6. Las Vegas Strip, USA, 30 500 000
7–8. Meiji Jingu Shrine, Tokyo, Japan, 30,000,000
7–8. Sensoji Temple, Tokyo, Japan, 30,000,000
9. Niagara Falls, New York and Ontario, USA and Canada, 22 000 000
10. Grand Central Station, New York, USA, 21 600 00
11. Basilica of The Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico City, Mexico, 20,000,000
12. Disney World in Orlando, Florida, USA, 18,588,000
13. Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston, USA, 18 000 000
14. Disneyland, Tokyo, Japan, 17 214 000
15. Disneyland, California, USA, 16 202 000
16. Forbidden City, Beijing, China, 15 340 000
17. Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco, USA, 14,289,121
18. DisneySea, Tokyo, Japan, 14,084,000
19. Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France, 14,000,000
20. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, USA, 13 000 000