The surprising places where tourism is growing fastest
According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, the world’s fastest growing travel destination is Sierra Leone which saw a 310% increase in overseas arrivals in 2016, compared with the previous year.
Five other surprising nations where tourism is booming – at least in percentage terms, if not quantity – include South Korea, Moldova, Kiribati (comprised of 33 coral atolls stretching along the equator), Madagascar and Slovakia.
The top 10 fastest growing travel destinations are:
- Sierra Leone +310%
- Nepal +39.7%
- Iceland +39%
- South Korea +30.3%
- Moldova +28.6%
- Chile +26%
- Vietnam +24.6%
- Japan +21.8%
- Liechtenstein +21.7%
- Kiribati +21.6%
The 10 countries where visitor numbers have fallen fastest
- Egypt -42.1%
- Afghanistan -36.7%
- Turkey -28.5%
- PNG -25.9%
- Suriname -25.6%
- Palau -14.9%
- Haiti -14.5%
- Belgium -13.2%
- Aruba -10%
- Laos -9.8%
