BANGKOK, 27 June 26, 2018: Phuket found its way into another global destinations index earning 10th place among the world top places to visit, according Mastercard.
Mastercard released, Tuesday, its ‘Global Destination Cities Index: Play’, a look at international destinations with the highest concentration of visitors traveling for relaxation and leisure, not business.
Punta Cana leads the list of top 10 cities where more than 90% 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.
Phuket was listed 10th among the top-10 global leisure destinations where the majority of visitors were Chinese travellers, who spent around USD239 on leisure per visitor per day.
The top 10 cities for relaxation and fun, the cities were:
- Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (99.9%*[1])
- 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%)
Commenting on the index Mastercard president of loyalty and managed services, Francis Hondal said: “The Mastercard Global Destination Cities Index: Play shows that special cities around the world are tapping into that trend and building a brand of fun, relaxation and enjoyment for like-minded travellers.”
Additional insights from the 2018 Mastercard Global Destination Cities Index will be released later this year.
