Cruise to the fastest-growing destinations

Don’t follow the crowds, become a trendsetter. Be that person who can gleefully describe this hot new destination that everyone must visit, before it is awash with tourists. The annual Mastercard Destination Cities Index determines the most visited cities in the world and following research from 2009 to 2016, it has named Osaka as the fastest-growing travel destination. 

The third-largest city in Japan saw the largest growth in international overnight visitors during the seven-year period. Osaka, which has become the next must-visit city, boasts a phenomenal food scene and neon lights, both of which helped it receive a 24% growth in visitors since 2009. 

Second on the list came Chengdu in China. You can credit much of Chengdu’s growth to the world-famous Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, a state-of-the-art facility driven to increase the global population of wild pandas. 

If you’re looking for a new cruise destination that combines slick, modern city life with beautiful beaches, then this is the place for you. Otherwise known as ‘the garden city of the East,’ Colombo should be the go-to for any intrepid traveller who sets foot in Sri Lanka. 

Set in the heart of the desert is the glistening oasis of Abu Dhabi, which came in fourth. Abu Dhabi offers visitors the chance to experience Gulf culture while checking out the world’s fastest rollercoaster and largest hand-loomed carpet. 

Jakarta is a city growing exponentially. It has become one of the hottest travel destinations on the planet, where down each street is a story waiting to be told. Excuse the unrelenting traffic, this is a special place that oozes character. 

Tokyo, Hanoi, Riyadh, Lima and Taipei also make their way into the top ten list, which is predominantly made up of Asian destinations.