By Dipo Olowookere
MasterCard has released the Global Destination Cities Index, showing international destinations with the highest concentration of visitors traveling for relaxation and leisure.
International travel continues to grow at an incredible rate, transforming local economies and enabling people to broaden their horizons—whether they travel for work or for play. Building on nearly a decade of insight into international travel trends, the MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index: Play shows that special cities around the world are building a brand of fun, relaxation and enjoyment for like-minded travelers.
Punta Cana led the list of top 10 cities where more than 90 percent of overnight visitor travel in 2017 was for purposes beyond business—such as vacation or family visits.
The list includes several lesser-known destinations that cater to eco-tourists, history buffs, beach goers and adventure seekers.
MasterCard is helping cardholders travel the world with peace of mind by offering them conveniences and connectivity at their destination and worry-free acceptance at millions of locations around the globe.
With cultures uniquely their own but with a common focus on relaxation and fun, the top 10 cities include:
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (99.9%)
Cusco, Peru (98%)
Djerba, Tunisia (97.7%)
Riviera Maya, Mexico (97.5%)
Palma de Mallorca, Spain (97.2%)
Cancun, Mexico (96.8%)
Bali, Indonesia (96.7%)
Panama City, Panama (96.3%)
Orlando, United States (94.1%)
Phuket, Thailand (93%)
The MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index ranks cities in terms of the number of their total international overnight visitor arrivals and the cross-border spending by these same visitors in the destination cities, and gives visitor and passenger growth forecasts.
Global Destination Cities Index: Play specifically looks at the cities that have the highest concentration of visitors traveling there for non-business purposes according to the International Visitor Survey results from National Tourism Boards.