Travel Trends: 100 Most Visited Cities

Figures released from Euromonitor International Top City Destinations Ranking, covering 100 of the world's leading and most dynamic cities in terms of international tourist arrivals have just been released for 2011. Report shows emerging city destinations located in Asia Pacific saw an increase due to a strong economic environment.

While many cities remained in the same rank, Vietnam showed a particularly strong performance with Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi experiencing 40% growth for the second consecutive year, with future demand is likely to be driven by other Vietnamese cities including Hue, Hoi An, Nha Trang and Phu Quoc emerging as international tourists look to discover more new places.

Uncertainty in the global economy still exists, especially in the US and Europe, future growth will be driven by Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.

Top City Destinations Ranking 2011
Country	City	Rank	2011 Growth (%)
Hong Kong, China	Hong Kong	1	8.8
Singapore	Singapore	2	8.7
United Kingdom	London	3	2.7
Malaysia	Kuala Lumpur	4	16.0
China	Macau	5	8.4
Thailand	Bangkok	6	12.5
Turkey	Antalya	7	13.3
China	Shenzhen	8	6.8
USA	New York City	9	3.5
Turkey	Istanbul	10	20.2
China	Guangzhou	11	8.9
France	Paris	12	3.5
United Arab Emirates	Dubai	13	-0.1
China	Shanghai	14	-5.8
USA	Miami	15	7.1
Saudi Arabia	Mecca	16	4.7
Thailand	Pattaya	17	10.5
Italy	Rome	18	4.5
USA	Las Vegas	19	4.2
Spain	Barcelona	20	4.0
Taiwan	Taipei	21	51.3
China	Beijing	22	5.1
USA	Los Angeles	23	8.1
Thailand	Phuket	24	9.5
Hungary	Budapest	25	8.5
Netherlands	Amsterdam	26	12.8
Russia	Moscow	27	11.5
USA	Orlando	28	4.1
Czech Republic	Prague	29	0.0
Germany	Berlin	30	7.5
Austria	Vienna	31	4.8
Turkey	Mugla	32	11.9
Vietnam	Ho Chi Minh	33	45.1
Spain	Madrid	34	0.8
Ukraine	Kiev	35	6.6
Poland	Warsaw	36	35.0
Ireland	Dublin	37	-6.7
Egypt	Cairo	38	-35.0
Turkey	Edirne	39	9.3
China	Zhuhai	40	-2.2
India	Chennai	41	14.0
China	Hangzhou	42	14.2
Argentina	Buenos Aires	43	9.2
USA	San Francisco	44	2.9
Russia	St Petersburg	45	16.0
South Korea	Seoul	46	1.7
Mexico	Mexico City	47	3.7
Japan	Tokyo	48	-28.0
Canada	Toronto	49	0.3
India	Delhi	50	15.0
Australia	Sydney	51	0.2
Indonesia	Denpasar	52	0.5
Mexico	Cancún	53	9.1
Peru	Lima	54	30.0
China	Suzhou	55	14.0
Romania	Bucharest	56	10.0
India	Mumbai	57	7.0
Belgium	Brussels	58	2.1
Dominican Republic	Punta Cana	59	11.0
South Africa	Johannesburg	60	8.4
Germany	Munich	61	4.0
France	Nice	62	2.6
New Zealand	Auckland	63	7.7
Portugal	Lisbon	64	5.4
India	Agra	65	15.0
Italy	Milan	66	4.8
India	Jaipur	67	16.0
Morocco	Marrakech	68	1.2
Egypt	Sharm el Sheikh	69	-21.6
Saudi Arabia	East Province	70	6.4
Syria	Damascus	71	-18.4
Canada	Vancouver	72	-6.6
Indonesia	Jakarta	73	0.3
Bulgaria	Burgas	74	7.7
Syria	Aleppo	75	-12.3
Italy	Venice	76	4.7
Philippines	Manila	77	23.0
Italy	Florence	78	4.5
Bulgaria	Varna	79	7.4
Kenya	Nairobi	80	40.3
USA	Honolulu	81	2.8
Greece	Athens	82	2.0
Vietnam	Hanoi	83	41.5
New Zealand	Christchurch	84	-0.5
United Arab Emirates	Abu Dhabi	85	6.3
Brazil	Rio de Janeiro	86	7.0
China	Guilin	87	14.3
Australia	Melbourne	88	14.4
Brazil	São Paulo	89	3.0
Thailand	Chiang Mai	90	6.3
USA	Washington DC	91	2.6
Saudi Arabia	Riyadh	92	6.5
Azerbaijan	Baku	93	8.6
Turkey	Izmir	94	27.1
China	Nanjing	95	14.4
Bulgaria	Sofia-City & Greater Area	96	9.7
Kyrgyzstan	Issyk-Kulskaya Oblast	97	57.6
Belarus	Minsk	98	2.8
India	Kolkatta	99	9.0
Switzerland	Zurich	100	3.3

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Source: Euromonitor International’s Top 100 City Destinations Ranking (2001 Results)

Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood

The most impressive building in Saint Petersburg must be the Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood, a traditional style Russian church built on the spot where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated in 1881, the interior decorated with over 6000sqm of mosaics. The gold-draped onion-domed church, is one of the main attractions of St. Petersburg.

Watch this video for a tour of Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood - Saint Petersburg

Construction began in 1883 and was finished in 1906, under the rule of his son, Nicholas II. The Church resembles the exterior of St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, and was designed in medieval Russian style.

Inside the Hermitage Museum - St Petersburg

The former state residence of the Russian emperors, the Winter Palace and the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg are one of the best places worth seeing while visiting this great city in Russia. Possibly the second best art collection after the Louvre in Paris, with over 120 rooms, the interiors are rich and detailed, artwork ranging from prehistoric to 20th century.

One of the largest and oldest museums, it was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great and has been open to the public since 1852. On display is only a small collection of more than three million works of art and artifacts of world culture. It has the largest collection of paintings in the world.

Watch this video for a tour Inside the Hermitage - Saint Petersburg.

Out of six buildings of the main museum complex, four, named the Winter Palace, Small Hermitage, Old Hermitage and New Hermitage, are partially open to the public. Entrance is free of charge the first Thursday of every month for all visitors and daily for students and children. Buy your tickets in advance to avoid long queues and collect at dedicated internet bookings booth just inside the gates. The museum is closed on Mondays.

Hotel 3mostA - Saint Petersburg - Russia

Named after the area where the hotel is situated, "3 Bridges", Hotel 3mostA is a  boutique hotel in a great location for seeing St Petersburg Russia, just a few minutes walk to the world famous Hermitage, and just a step away from the jaw-dropping Church of the Saviour on Spilt Blood.There are shops and entertainment nearby, some open 24 hours, including the hotel lobby bar. If you can't sleep during the White Nights, there is still plenty to do nearby.

The Room

There are 26 rooms with wooden floors, each equipped with climate control system, free wireless internet access, a telephone, a 32'' LCD TV, and a small fridge. I had the Standard Double Room (room 25), about 20 square metres, double bed and bathroom with a shower only. I really liked the warm towel rail which keeps them warm and dry.

Four Seasons Terrace Restaurant

On the 5th floor, the restaurant offers panoramic views of Church of the Saviour on Spilt Blood, the most breathtaking building in St Petersburg.

Panoramic Terrace

Get the key from reception and take the lift/elevator to the last floor, leave the lift/elevator and turn left and go up the stairs, you'll find a closed metal door, walk up a small set of steps and find a rooftop terrace with chairs and some great views of the surrounding area.

I wouldn't hesitate to return to Hotel 3mostA, the location alone makes this ideal.

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