Tourism is a very big industry that includes travel, accommodation, entertainment, and the business of running tours. It provides great joy and satisfaction to travellers and is a source of income for the regional population. International tourism affects the coming and going of the balance of payments of any country, and it can also affect others internationally. Countries such as the Maldives, The British Virgin Islands, Bahamas, Fiji, Macao, and others rely significantly on tourism to add to their GDP.

This article discusses or covers the top 10 tourist places in the world to visit.

1. Eiffel Tower, Paris

The Eiffel Tower is built on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. The famous engineer Gustave Eiffel designed it, and the tower is named after him. This place is the most attractive tourist destination in France.

The tower was completely built in the year of 1889. The Eiffel Tower is the most visited monument in the world, with a ticket fee. In 1964, it was declared a historical monument in France, and in 1991, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The height of the tower is 330 meters. It retained the title of highest artificial structure for 41 years.

There are three levels on the tower, having cafes on the first and second levels. The upper platform of the top level is 276 meters above ground level. It is the highest public observation deck in the European Union. Tickets must be purchased to ascend to the first and second levels by stair or elevator. Both the first and the second levels require 300 steps each to climb.

2. Taj Mahal, Agra

Taj Mahal is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It is most famous as a symbol of pure love built on the banks of the Yamuna River in Agra, India. Mughal ruler Shah Jahan commissioned it in 1632 in memory of his late beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The monument was built in 1648. The imperial court's documentation of Shah Jahan's mourning upon Mumtaz Mahal's death reflects the love story that inspired the Taj Mahal.

The mausoleum is built in formal and beautiful gardens and is surrounded by a crenellated wall on all three sides. The whole complex was built in a 17-hectare area with a mosque and a guest house. About 20,000 artisans were hired to work on the project. It was designed by Ustad Ahmad Lahauri, the emperor's court architect. The Taj represents different sorts of symbols to depict natural beauty and divinity. The Taj Mahal complex was completely built in 1653, costing over 32 million rupees.

In 1983, the Taj Mahal was on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list. It is the best representation of Mughal architecture. The annual visit to the Taj Mahal is about 6 million.

3. Pyramids of Giza, Egypt

The Pyramids of Giza have always been doubtful about who built them. Giza's pyramids stood as royal tombs for three different pharaohs. The northernmost pyramid was built for Khufu, the second ruler of the 4th dynasty. This Great Pyramid is the largest. The middle pyramid was constructed for Khafre, the eighth ruler of the 4th dynasty. The third pyramid was erected for Menkaure, the fifth ruler of the 4th dynasty. This pyramid is 200 feet tall, smaller than Khufu's (481.4 feet) and Khafre's pyramids (448 feet).

The Great Pyramids of Giza are a real wonder. It has ancient Egyptian monuments and tombs, which fascinate all archaeologists around the globe. The remains of the ancient Egyptian civilization are still being buried.

Giza is made by the Great Sphinx, the Great Pyramid of Giza, and many other pyramids and temples. It also has a complex of ancient Egyptian royal morgues and religious structures.

4. Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China was built as a massive barrier in ancient China to defend itself from attacks from Mongolia. It took over millennia to build the wall in northern China and southern Mongolia. As it crawls over the Chinese countryside, the wall generally follows the crest lines of hills and mountains, and about 1/4th of its length is made up entirely of natural barriers like rivers and mountain ridges. Even though a huge part of the wall has been ruined, it remains one of the world's most amazing structures. In 1987, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Great Wall truly depicted Chinese mythology and popular symbolism, becoming a national symbol of China in the twentieth century.

The Great Wall of China is an attraction for about 1 crore visitors each year, which makes it one of the world's most popular tourist destinations. It is one main tourist attractions in China.

5. Petra, Jordan

Petra is a city in southern Jordan that is rich in history and archaeology. It is located near Jabal Al-Madbah Mountain. The land surrounding Petra has been populated since 7000 BC, and the Nabataeans were those who established it. Afterwards, it became their kingdom's capital city in the 4th century BC.

Petra was at its peak in the first century when the huge Al-Khazneh structure, the mausoleum of Nabataean king Aretas IV, was built. Its population reached its top of 20,000 inhabitants. It remained forgotten until Johann Ludwig Burckhardt uncovered it in 1812.

The city is reached via the Siq, a 1-kilometre-long valley that leads directly to the Khazneh. Petra is called "Rose Red City" because it is entirely built of red stones.

In 1985, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Al-Khazneh was included in the New Seven Wonders of the World list in 2007. Petra is the main tourist attraction in Jordan. In 2019, the total number of tourists reached nearly 1.1 million for the first time.

6. Niagara Falls, Canada & USA

The Niagara waterfalls are a combination of two waterfalls formed by the Niagara River, i.e. The American and Horseshoe Falls. It acts as a border between New York and Ontario, Canada.

Niagara Falls starts from Lake Erie into Lake Ontario and have the highest flow rate in North America when it comes to waterfalls. It has a vertical drop of more than 50 meters. Every minute, over 168,000 m3 of water flows over the head of the falls during peak tourist hours. Niagara Falls is a popular tourist destination as well as a significant source of hydroelectric power.

The Maid of the Mist boat ride transports tourists to the rapids just below the falls. The boat is named after an ancient Ongiara Indian mythical character. This service was started in 1846. The bridge at Goat Island gives a better view of the falls and is accessible by foot or vehicle.

The summer season is the busiest season for tourists. Niagara Falls is open both day and night. Floodlights illuminate both sides of the falls for several hours after it is dark until midnight.

7. Machu Picchu, Peru

Machu Picchu is a fortification built in southern Peru in the 15th century. It is built on a 2,430 -meter mountain crest above the Sacred Valley in the Machupicchu District. The art in Machu Picchu belonged to the Inca tradition. The city's major attractions are the Intihuatana, the Temple of the Sun, and the Room of the Three Windows.

Today, most modern archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was the private property of Inca Emperor Pachacuti (1438–1472). It was erected by the Incas around 1450. The Spanish people discovered it, and they abandoned the city. Now, most outside structures have been restored, giving visitors a clearer understanding of how they looked in the past.

Machu Picchu is the most popular tourist attraction in Peru. It has been a Seven Wonders of the World since 2007 and was added to The UNESCO Site in 1983. Since its rediscovery in 1911, the number of visitors is continuously increasing.

8. The Acropolis, Athens

The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient fortress with several important architectural and historic structures, among which the Parthenon is the most famous. It was also known as Cecropia in ancient times and was named after the mythological serpent-man Cecrops, the first Athenian ruler. It was built in the fifth century BC by Pericles.

The Propylaea is a massive doorway that serves as the entryway to the Acropolis. The modest Temple of Athena Nike is located south of the entryway. The Parthenon, or Temple of Athena Parthenos, is located in the centre of the Acropolis. The Erechtheum is a temple situated at the east of the entrance.

In a gap of every four years, the people of Athens organize a festival known as the Great Panathenaea. Once, it was a big rival of the Olympic Games. In 1987, the Acropolis was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its role in illustrating the civilizations, mythologies, and religions that existed in Greece for over 1,000 years.

9. Borobudur, Indonesia

Borobudur has been a Mahayana Buddhist temple in Magelang Regency, Central Java, Indonesia, since the 9th century. Borobudur is still a famous pilgrimage site, with Buddhists in Indonesia marking Vesak Day there. The Shailendra Dynasty constructed this between 8-9th centuries. It is the largest Buddhist temple in the world.

The temple displays India's influence on the region through Gupta art, yet enough indigenous images and components are included to make Borobudur truly Indonesian.

The monument serves as a Buddhist pilgrimage site and a shrine to the Buddha. Once, it had a total of 504 statues. The trek starts at the base of the structure and proceeds around it, ascending to the top via 3 tiers symbolic of Buddhist folklore:

Kmadhtu(the world of desire)
Rpadhtu (the world of forms)
Arpadhtu (the world of knowledge) (the world of formlessness)

The monument leads pilgrims through a maze of stairways and corridors, with 1,460 storytelling relief panels on the sidewalls and balustrades to guide them.

Borobudur's arts and sculptures were closely connected to Gupta and post-Gupta Indian art. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991.

10. The Golden City, Jaisalmer

Jaisalmer is also known as "The Golden City," a city in Rajasthan, India. The old Jaisalmer Fort is situated above a hill of yellowish sandstone. Many parts of the forts, towns' homes, and temples are made of finely sculpted sandstone.

Jaisalmer Fort, on Meru Hill, was constructed in 1156 by the Bhati Rajput monarch Jaisal and has seen several conflicts. During the day, the big sandstone walls are a little lion colour, but when the sun sets, they transform into a magnificent honey-gold colour. The fort's chief attractions include the Raj Mahal, Jain Temples, and the Laxminath Temple.

The fort has 7 Jain temples built inside it. They show fine art and architecture. The temples are made of yellow sandstone and have beautiful carvings. Jaisalmer features some of India's oldest libraries, which house some of the Jain religion's most valuable manuscripts and artefacts.

The Jaisalmer Desert Festival is another major attraction here which has camel racing, turban tying, and Mr Desert competitions. It is organized every year in February.

Top 10 List