China is now the 3rd most visited country according to the UN World Tourism Organization. China had about 56 million tourists in 2010 and overtook Spain for the 3rd highest position. The top destination was France with 79 million visitors, with the United States following with 61 million. The rankings for 2010 and 2009 can be found here.
Tourist destinations such as the Great Wall (长城), the ancient Terracotta Warriors (兵马俑; bīngmǎ yǒng) in Xi'an, and the Shaolin Monastery (少林寺; Shàolín Sì), the home of Chinese kung fu (功夫; gōngfu) continue to attract increasing numbers of visitors. The 2010 Shanghai World Expo also brought a large number of foreign visitors. In addition, China's many modern major cities provide foreign visitors with a plethora of entertainment, shopping, as well as sightseeing opportunities.
Hong Kong harbor
While the biggest number of international visitors have chosen to travel mostly to European countries in recent years, that trend may be changing a bit as China and other Asian destinations (Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand, etc.) are becoming more popular. The growth rate for international tourism in Asia for 2010 was 13% while Europe experienced only 3% growth.
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