Did things feel a little crowded on your last holiday? From idyllic tropical isles to medieval centres and attraction-rich countries, some places have way more tourists in a year than they do residents. loveEXPLORING has calculated the number of tourists per resident to reveal the destinations around the world where visitors outnumber locals, with ratios revealed in each slide title. Data has been sourced from the latest population figures along with tourist board estimates.
Click through the gallery to discover places where the locals are well and truly outnumbered by tourists...
The Baltic country's latest visitor figures from 2023 hit 3,430,000. With an estimated current population of 1,322,765, this makes a ratio of almost three tourists to one local. Tallinn’s World-Heritage-listed Old Town is one of Europe’s great medieval treasures, wooing visitors with its cobbled streets, merchant houses and fairy-tale turrets. Its coastline boasts sandy beaches and islands. In summer, pretty Parnu is a quaint spot with its white sands and fine mansions. There's great hiking in nearby Soomaa National Park, whose magical forests, bogs and lakes are home to all kinds of creatures, including beavers and wolves.
A land of islands, mountains, olive groves, ancient ruins and rural villages, Greece is a perennial favourite for Mediterranean getaways. Steeped in history with an intoxicating blend of cultures, capital Athens is one of Europe's most fascinating cities while its regions and islands all have distinct traditions. One of its most photogenic and popular isles is Santorini (pictured) in the Cyclades archipelago with its blue-domed churches, white-washed villages and striking volcanic landscape. Greece has an estimated population of 10,341,277 while the latest figures show it receives 29,900,000 visitors.
The diminutive Adriatic country has gone from hidden gem to firm favourite on the Mediterranean cruise ship route thanks to its pretty ports, top-end hotels and rugged mountainous scenery. With an estimated current population of 626,485 and latest visitor figures of 2,183,975, the country has three tourists to every resident. The fortified town of Kotor; and Budva, with its charming old town and bountiful beaches, are where most visitors head, along with the exclusive holiday playground Sveti Stefan.
Beaches, mountains, ancient ruins and traditional villages: Cyprus is a seducing destination all year round. Despite being a divided island, it is a safe and stable place to visit (under normal circumstances, of course). And visit we do: latest figures put arrivals at 3,800,000 while the island has a population of 1,260,138. A good chunk of sun-seekers head to the beach resorts of Limassol, Paphos and Ayia Napa. But be sure to wander away from the coastline and around Nicosia's Old Town and the bucolic Troodos Mountains.
Tourism is the mainstay of this Indian Ocean island nation which is synonymous with no-holds-barred luxury and honeymoons. The latest visitor figures are 334,552, compared with an estimated current population of 107,660. The beaches really are beyond special – many with white sands framed by striking granite boulders and edged by lush forest. Its colourful capital Victoria can be found on Mahe and is a lovely spot for soaking up the culture and tasting Seychellois cuisine. Hiking around the jungle-clad peaks of Morne Seychellois National Park is also a high point.
Strewn just over 100 miles north of Scotland’s mainland, this remote archipelago of 300 islands and skerries (tiny rocky islets) is home to 22,940 people who live across 16 islands. Despite its remote location, the northern outpost welcomes around 80,128 visitors, most drawn to its wild natural landscapes. Learn about the islands' fascinating history at the museum in capital Lerwick, and explore its many ancient settlements (Jarlshof and Old Scatness among them). Spot seabirds on a hike around the wild Noss National Nature Reserve on the isle of Noss and don’t miss the beach at St Ninian’s Isle.
One of the biggest islands in Micronesia and a US territory, Guam ticks all the island paradise boxes: azure waters, unspoiled coral reefs, white-sand beaches. With a sparse population of 172,952, the gorgeous isle welcomed 602,594 visitors in 2023, many from South Korea and Japan. Many flock to the resorts around Tumon Bay, take dolphin-watching cruises or dive around its coastline. There are also plenty of deserted beaches and little villages where you can delve into the culture of the indigenous Chamorros. Scale the island’s Mount Lamlam for uplifting views.
Austria is home to an estimated 8,958,960 people but drew a staggering 39,800,000 visitors to explore its cities, lakes and mountains in 2022. The country is a cultural hotspot, renowned for its world-class art and music, magnificent palaces and castles, and delicious food and wines. The baroque beauty of Vienna and pretty Salzburg (pictured) are must-sees. While Innsbruck, Graz and Linz all have charming historic old towns plus, of course there’s unparalleled hiking and winter sports in its Alps.
It’s one of the ultimate honeymoon destinations – and ridiculously photogenic. As well as serene sandy coves, towering palm trees and sparkling seas, Saint Lucia has jungle-clad mountains, waterfalls and even a drive-in volcano. So it’s easy to see why around 737,000 tourists visit this Caribbean destination – four times more than the local population of just 180,251. Perhaps the most famous landmarks on the island are its pair of pointy peaks, the UNESCO-protected Gros and Petit Piton. There are also colonial-era towns, old plantations, man-made lagoons and sleepy villages to explore.
With its long coastline, abundant islands and rich cultural heritage, Croatia has become a firm favourite for a Mediterranean getaway. The dreamy Dalmatian Coast is a sailor's paradise with thousands of enchanting islands such as Hvar and Brac. On the mainland, cities such as Split, Zadar and Dubrovnik have endless charm. Inland, its capital Zadar is also a wonderful (though sometimes overlooked) city break destination, with its medieval old town and modern architecture. It has an estimated current population of 4,008,617, with latest visitor figures of 20,600,000 giving the country five tourists to every local.
Lured by its otherworldly landscapes, the Nordic nation has become a global tourism hotspot with almost five visitors to every local. The country’s estimated current population is 375,318 with latest visitor figures at 1,715,249. As well as its brooding volcanoes, gushing geysers, prolific hot springs, crashing waterfalls, striking black sand beaches and surreal lava fields, visitors come to gaze at the Northern Lights in winter. Its cool and quirky capital Reykjavik is also worth getting to know.
Cosmopolitan Hong Kong is another of the world’s most exciting and spectacular cities with its famous skyline, dramatic harbour setting and imposing mountains. With an estimated current population of 7,346,000 and latest visitor figures of 34 million, there are almost five tourists to every one resident. Popular activities include a ride up Victoria Peak and on the famous Star Ferry over Victoria Harbour to Kowloon to explore its buzzy markets. But with more than 450 miles (724km) of coastline, 100 beaches, and 260 outlying islands, Hong Kong is also one for nature lovers.
Picturesque, sandy beaches are in no short supply on this island on the edge of the Caribbean. Some 1,034,429 visitors flocked here in 2022 – roughly five times more than the 192,077 residents. As well as the sublime shores, they’re drawn to the island’s culture, from its Dutch colonial architecture and thriving art scene to the vibrant capital city, Willemstad (pictured), that doubles as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It’s not surprising Barcelona is one of the world's busiest cities: latest figures show it had 9.9 million overnight visitors and a current population of 1,620,000. The Catalan capital is famed for its beautiful architecture (from its medieval Gothic quarter and Gaudi’s extravagant creations to its striking modern buildings), cool neighbourhoods and beaches. Its food scene is a big draw too – from local tapas joints and market counters to the wizardry of its Michelin-starred restaurants, it’s hard to have a bad meal here.
This Mediterranean archipelago has history, culture and natural beauty in spades. With an estimated current population of 535,064 and latest visitor figures of 3,002,823 it has a ratio of almost six tourists to one resident. Valletta and Mdina are steeped in history and home to countless cultural treasures. The Maltese islands’ coastlines boast knock-out beaches and dramatic natural formations, from caves and reefs to arches and tunnels. Sister island Gozo is a favourite diving hotspot and a tranquil escape with its rural communities and age-old archaeological sites, while tiny car-free Comino is famed for its Blue Lagoon.
Beach lovers flock to this duo of islands in the Caribbean. With latest visitor figures of 680,000 and an estimated population of 94,298, they have a ratio of 7:1 tourists to visitors. The most popular island is Antigua, a volcanic isle with 95 miles (153km) of coastline, forest-clad peaks, old fortresses and breezy villages. Capital St John's is the place to learn about the islands’ history. Just 30 miles (48km) over the water, you’ll find the reef-fringed Barbuda where more (empty) beaches await, along with lagoons and the Frigate Bird Sanctuary, the world’s largest breeding and nesting colony.
Love this? Follow our Facebook page for more fun facts and travel inspiration
The Gulf kingdom is spread over 33 islands, with Bahrain Island the largest. It's here you'll find capital Manama with its sleek skyscrapers and atmospheric souk. Bahrain’s estimated current population is 1,485,509 with latest visitor figures of 9.9 million. As well as its urban attractions, its waters teem with wildlife including dugongs while the Hawar Islands are rich in birds. The scuba diving is good here. Other highlights are the UNESCO World Heritage Sites Dilmun Burial Mounds, Bahrain Fort and the pearling site on Muharraq island.
Ranked: The most fascinating UNESCO World Heritage Sites from recent years
Aruba has a population of 106,277 and visitor figures of around 807,000, meaning there are almost eight holidaymakers to every resident. And it’s easy to see why – as well as miles of glorious white-sand beach and an incredible national park, Aruba has more sunny days than any other Caribbean island. It’s a compact isle, measuring 21 miles (33km) long and six miles (9km) across at its widest point and is a popular stop-off for cruise passengers.
Another archetypal South Pacific island paradise that beckons the honeymoon crowd is the Cook Islands, a collection of coral atolls and volcanic isles strewn halfway between New Zealand and Hawaii. They have dramatic jungle-clad peaks for trekking around too and welcoming communities where you can uncover the nation's rich Polynesian heritage. The main hub is Rarotonga, where 70% of its 17,044 population live. Latest tourism figures show the islands received around 143,506 visitors in 2023.
Sint Maarten, a mostly autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, has a population of around 42,848 and visitor figures of 395,053 – meaning there are nine holidaymakers to every resident. Set on a pretty 34-square-mile (88sqkm) island, which it shares with the French territory of Saint Martin, the island was divided between the French and the Dutch in the 17th century. The Dutch side of the isle is a popular stop for cruise ships with passengers attracted to its glorious beaches, beach bars, water sports, resorts and shopping.
Made up of seven main islands and around 40 small islands and uninhabited cays, Turks and Caicos is a dreamy Caribbean escape with stunning beaches (many of which are gloriously empty) and a low-key luxe feel. With a population of 46,062, it welcomes around 430,000 tourists. The islands of Providenciales and Grand Turk are home to the majority of the country’s population and where most visitors stay. Grace Bay is the country’s standout beach and where you’ll find stylish places to stay and eat. The diving is superb while snorkelers can swim above turtles and eagle rays straight from its beaches.
The pretty principality, set between the French and Italian Riviera on the Mediterranean Sea, lures tourists with its air of old-school glamour, Belle Epoque buildings, exclusive hotels and famous casinos. It’s only small with an estimated population of 36,297 but receives 340,000 visitors. Monaco musts are watching the changing of the guards at the Princely Palace, a wander around the narrow streets of its old town, and ogling at the ostentatious glamour of Monte Carlo’s casino, opera house and the super-yacht-lined marina. A stroll around the Jardin Exotique is a lovely low-key way to enjoy the scene.
A firm favourite on the cruise ship route, the Caymans are often associated with tax-free shopping. Its most popular attractions lie on main isle Grand Cayman – notably the resort-lined Seven Mile Beach with its undeniably dreamy sands. The trio of islands are a top diving destination too. Cayman Brac and Little Cayman offer an altogether different experience. The former is a wilder place with its rugged limestone cliffs and incredible birdlife, while Little Cayman is the place to explore Bloody Bay Marine Park’s dive sites and has some lovely boutique resorts. With an estimated population of 69,310 and latest visitor figures of 660,000, there are almost 10 tourists to every local.
Lap up the laid-back lifestyle and dreamy tropical scenery of Anguilla and you’ll be among the 10 tourists to every local. With an estimated current population of 15,899, and visitor figures of 155,732, the little Caribbean island lures its fair share of sun-seekers but it still feels unspoiled and off the radar. Beyond its obvious natural appeal (over 30 azure-water lapped beaches and rainforest), Anguilla has some lively festivals and its capital The Valley has a clutch of historic sights and museums.
The mid-Atlantic self-governing British overseas territory has an estimated current population of 64,069. Latest visitor figures show 713,912 tourists come to holiday on its idyllic shores. Ringed by reefs, the island is renowned for diving (especially shipwreck dives – 300 wrecks lie around its 21-mile/34km coast) as well as pink-hued beaches and pastel-coloured towns. Many head to St George’s, Bermuda's oldest settlement, to discover its past among its centuries-old forts and winding cobblestoned alleys to get a taste of island life. A hike in Walsingham Nature Reserve will take you around lush green trails, where you can swim in gorgeous blue waters and explore caves.
With its lush landscape, golden beaches and fantastic food, this two-island nation draws in 11 times more tourists than it has residents. Some 540,000 visitors arrive every year to this Caribbean hotspot, home to 47,755 locals, whose laid-back 'limin' lifestyle is contagious. Many visitors head straight to Lovers Beach with its white sands and near-deserted feel, or trek through rainforest and explore the citadels, barracks and ramparts of Brimstone Hill Fortress.
Anyone who’s been in the throngs of the Duomo (cathedral) or queued for the Uffizi will know that Tuscany’s capital is inundated with visitors. In fact, Florence, which has an estimated population of 712,176, attracts almost 11 million visitors. The Renaissance city has much to offer with its elegant villas, historic churches, atmospheric piazzas and pretty bridges and gardens. Away from its historic centre and over the River Arno more charms await in Oltrarno, an atmospheric neighbourhood with a dynamic dining scene.
With hundreds of miles of beaches, uninhabited cays, stunning coral reefs, historic towns and pretty fishing ports, the Bahamas has all you could desire from a Caribbean holiday. Spread over 700 islands, the nation has an estimated current population of 412,623 with latest visitor figures of 9,654,838. The main islands are Grand Bahama, where you’ll find the towns of Freeport and Lucaya, while New Providence is home to capital Nassau. Island hopping is what a holiday here is all about and the Abacos are belters: a 120-mile (193km) chain of islands with countless small cays, coral reefs, mangrove flats and tidal creeks.
The US Virgin Islands’ population is around 98,750, while 2023 visitor figures reveal 2,395,576 people, to make a ratio of 24 tourists to every resident. Its main trio of tropical islands, St John, St Croix and St Thomas, lure visitors with knock-out beaches, top snorkelling spots and upscale resorts and restaurants. There are historic forts and tranquil hiking trails around national parks too, where the wildlife and scenery cannot fail to wow.
The walled medieval city on Croatia’s southern Dalmatian coast has gone from relative obscurity to must-visit thanks to its starring role in Game of Thrones. The compact centre is home to a population of 41,562 yet drew 1,243,873 tourists in 2023 to walk its winding streets and along the well-preserved walls that encircle its old town, which doubled as King's Landing in the hit TV series. Scale Minceta Tower (AKA House of the Undying), walk along St Dominika Street (setting for Cersei’s infamous walk of shame), and visit Lovrijenac Fortress, another set location and top spot for coast and city gazing.
A bucket-list destination for sailors, sun seekers and celebrity spotters, the BVIs are a collection of 60 islets and cays that harbour plenty of secluded coves and sleepy fishing harbours. There are four main islands: Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and Anegada where most of its 31,538 residents live, and the islands received an estimated 994,253 visitors in 2023. Swimming in the pools and grottoes of the Baths on Virgin Gorda is a top attraction while Jost Van Dyke is the island for buzzy beach bars. Snorkelers and divers adore reef-fringed Anegada. There are gorgeous rainforest tracks too: Sage Mountain National Park in Tortola has the islands’ highest peak.
A sleepy fishing village turned high-rolling betting enclave, Macau entices a range of visitors with its mix of world-class casinos and resorts, Chinese temples and heritage-packed pockets from its time as a Portuguese colony. A whopping 28,200,000 tourists visited Macau in 2023, which is set around a peninsula and a few islands and home to around 704,149 people. Largo do Senado, a square at the centre of Macau’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed old centre, is a favoured spot for visitors.
The world’s fifth-smallest country, San Marino is a landlocked micronation that’s steeped in history. It’s said to have been founded around 300 AD by a monk fleeing persecution, and it lays claim to being the world’s oldest republic. Little wonder that some 1,904,000 tourists visit every year, outnumbering the country’s population of 33,642 by an enormous 57:1. The capital, handily also called the City of San Marino, is located at the top of Monte Titanio, with its three medieval towers and impressive ramparts.
A mountainous principality tucked into the border between France and Spain, Andorra has both gorgeous scenery and historic sights. Home to just 80,088 people, it usually tempts an impressive 5.4 million tourists a year. A big destination for skiing in winter, its peaks and valleys are a pinnacle for hillwalkers and climbers in the summer – those up for a challenge can test their mettle on one of its 13 Via Ferrata routes. Capital Andorra la Vella’s old town is the place to lap up its character and local specialities.
A small city with a colossal tourism industry, Venice is famously swamped with international visitors. Just 257,777 people live in the city, but an estimated 30 million people visit each year – with the vast majority of them coming just for the day. Groups visiting this enchanting city are now being limited to 25 in a bid to curb the crowding. First timers rightly flock to the main sights of St Mark’s Square (Doge’s Palace and St Mark’s Basilica) to admire the beautiful bridges that criss-cross the canals, and travel down the Grand Canal. But it’s also worth venturing outside of Venice to one of its many other islands, such as pretty Burano.
The so-called Rock is a fascinating place: tax haven, gambling hub and defiant British enclave set on the southernmost tip of the Iberian peninsula. The approach to this rocky outpost, which has a population of 32,688, is impressive, as is the drive up to the Upper Rock Nature Preserve. Here you can visit prehistoric St Michael's Cave and the remains of a Moorish fortress and see the infamous barbary macaques. A visit to the Gibraltar Museum to clue up on the Rock’s military and naval history is one of the first places some 8,120,685 tourists go each year.
Backed by snow-capped mountains and lapped by the brilliant blue waters of Lake Hallstatt, few places can contend with this impossibly pretty little lakeside village in the Salzkammergut region. Home to a mere 741, its charms have not gone unnoticed: Hallstatt gets some 3 million visitors a year. It saw a steep rise in tourists from China, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong and South Korea after it appeared on popular TV shows. Rumours that it was the inspiration for Arendelle in Disney’s Frozen only added to its appeal. It’s awash with history too: the UNESCO-recognised salt mines, which date to prehistoric times, and the eerie, skull-filled Hallstatt Charnel House, are must-see attractions.
There’s usually a lot going on in the capital of Christianity, from the Pope’s weekly appearance at St Peter’s Square to the exquisite architecture and countless priceless artistic treasures within. St Peter’s Basilica is its epicentre, the vast domed Renaissance church reputedly built upon the burial sight of Saint Peter. The biggest crowds in this tourist hotspot, which has an estimated population of around 800 and attracts some 5 million tourists a year, can be seen queuing at the Vatican Museums to gaze up at Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel.
Now discover Italy's most beautiful towns and villages