Chinese travelers were the world's top spenders in 2016, shelling out the equivalent of 261 billion US dollars.
That's according to the latest figures from the UN's World Tourism Organization, which show that Chinese tourists spent 12 percent more, or 11 billion US dollars, than they did the previous year.
After China, the US, Germany, the UK and France round out the ranking of the world's top five tourist spenders.
VCG Photo
In addition to shelling out more money on travel, China also saw its outbound market rise six percent to 135 million in 2016, consolidating its position as the No. 1 source market for tourism in the world since 2012.
The most popular destinations for Chinese travelers include Japan, South Korea and Thailand, along with the US and Europe.
Tourist spending among Americans also rose eight percent in 2016 to reach 122 billion US dollars, while the number of Americans travelling to international destinations likewise spiked eight percent.
Meanwhile, the leading outbound tourism markets in Europe - Germany, the UK, France and Italy - also reported growth in tourism spending and outbound visits.
Germans spent 81 billion US dollars in 2016; Brits spent 64 billion US dollars; France spent 41 billion US dollars; and Italy spent 25 billion US dollars.
(Source: AFP)
