France

Tourism

With 81.9 million foreign tourists in 2007,France is ranked as the first tourist destination in the world, ahead of Spain (58.5 million in 2006) and the United States (51.1 million in 2006). This 81.9 million figure excludes people staying less than 24 hours in France, such as Northern Europeans crossing France on their way to Spain or Italy during the summer.

France features cities of high cultural interest (Paris being the foremost), beaches and seaside resorts, ski resorts, and rural regions that many enjoy for their beauty and tranquillity (green tourism). France also attracts many religious pilgrims to Lourdes, a town in the Hautes-Pyrénées département, that hosts a few million visitors a year.

International tourist arrivals by country of destination 2009

The top international destinations in 2009 are:

Rank	Country	International tourist arrivals
1	France	74.2 million
2	United States	54.9 million
3	Spain	52.2 million
4	China	50.9 million
5	Italy	43.2 million
6	United Kingdom	28.0 million
7	Turkey	25.5 million
8	Germany	24.2 million
9	Malaysia	23.6 million
10	Mexico	21.5 million