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This European Country Will Overtake France and Become the Most Visited in 2040

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The Editor

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Years go by and tourism is transforming. A study has been conducted showing that by 2040, France could well be dethroned from its position as the most visited country in the world, in favor of another European country.

Until now, France has shone brilliantly on the international tourism stage. Its culture, heritage, gastronomy… nothing and no one could compete with it, making it the most visited destination in the world — 102 million visitors in 2025. But this trend could very well reverse in the next decade, and it's possible that France might be overtaken by another hugely popular European country.


Tourism in Constant Evolution 

It's a study conducted by Deloitte and Google that sheds light on this new tourism trend. By looking at how the sector has evolved since the 1990s, they're able to make predictions for the years to come, right up until 2040. By then, there should be an average of 2.4 billion tourists — compared to 1.5 billion today — with a majority traveling to Europe — an estimated 362 million additional tourists between 2019 and 2040. 


France Takes Second Place

While France currently leads the way, by 2040, it's Spain that could take the top spot, with 110 million annual visitors compared to 105 million for France. So the five major destinations will be Spain, France, the United States, China, and Mexico. Fortunately, France should have a few peaceful years ahead of it!

The study still predicts that Africa and the Americas will experience the strongest annual growth (4-5%) between 2019 and 2040, slightly surpassing European countries. According to forecasts, 45% of travelers will be concentrated in "clusters" around the Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, the emerging Middle East, and the Caribbean.