Where did all the fun go?

Are theme parks your thing? What about ancient monuments? Art museums? If you answered "yes" to one of them, then prepared to be surprised by the authors for the article on which tourist attraction was the most popular in 2013.

Q: In the article “World’s most Visited Attractions”, what are some of the most-visited tourist attractions?

A: Back in 2010, it was the Eiffel Tower, the Great Pyramids, the Forbidden City, Stonehenge, and Korean theme Parks Everland and Lotte World. In fact, the Korean theme parks had also beaten all of the attractions mentioned above. Then again, theme parks have more appeal than other attractions, since 4 of the most visited attractions in the world are theme parks.

Q: What in the world are “Global Economic Challenges?”

A: It just means that even more people are traveling around the world today, according to the World Tourism Organization(UNWTO). Where we go largely depends on what we value now. The international tourist arrivals also increased by 5% according to UNWTO, which would mean that our world really is turning into a global village.

Q: What are some attractions that didn't make it to the top 50 list?

A: Surprisingly, the British Museum in London and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum didn't make it to the list. But that’s not all, even the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York didn't make it. Also accessibility comes in part with the popularity. Places like Yellowstone National Park can be hard to reach, and Machu Picchu is even restricted sometimes(only 2,500 can enter everyday).

Q: So, what is the #1 most visited attraction in the world?

A: Attractions, or tourist attractions include cultural and historical sites, natural landmarks, short walkways, plazas, and man-made designated spaces. Unfortunately, we only have the data for 2013, but the top attraction is… Grand Bazaar, Istanbul. It’s annual visitors is 91,250,000, and there are so much to experience. Not only can you see lanterns, hand-painted ceramics, copper ware, gold Byzantine-style jewelries, but you can also walk through the beautiful 15th century vaulted walkways of Bazaar. Although most people there are bargain hunters, you too can try and lower their offers to get your hands on a beautifully crafted patterned carpet. After all that bargaining, you can even get yourself a cup of authentic Turkish coffee.

https://c2.staticflickr.com

For my future research, I plan on answering the question "What are some underrated yet interesting cities to visit?"