19. Tokyo Tower, Japan(tie) 3.2 million
At 333 meters, Tokyo Tower proclaims itself the “world’s largest self-supporting steel tower” and transmits analog and digital waves for most of the city’s broadcast stations. An observation deck on the tower’s top floor provides views as far as Mt. Fuji.
Source: Japan National Tourist Organization
19. Happy Valley, Shenzhen, China(tie) 3.2 million
This modern theme park in China’s Guangdong Province ranked ninth in TEA’s Top 10 Amusement/Theme Parks in Asia and the Pacific Rim. Its nine themed sections range from Cartoon City to Typhoon Bay.
SOURCE: TEA/ERA
17. (tie) Ueno Zoo, Japan3.5 million
Japan’s oldest zoo was founded in 1882 and is now home to more than 2,600 animals. Its showcased fauna include gorillas, tigers and pygmy hippos.
Source: Japan National Tourist Organization
17. (tie) Taipei Zoo, Taiwan3.5 million
Taipei Zoo, an education, research, conservation and recreation facility, was established in 1914, while Taiwan was still under Japanese sovereignty. Today it is among the world’s ten largest urban zoos, and welcomed nearly 3.5 million visitors in 2006.
SOURCE: Tapei Zoo
16. Aso Farmland, Kyushu, Japan4.1 million
Aso Farmland is situated halfway up Mount Aso National Park in the Kumamoto Prefecture, on the island of Kyushu. According to the Japan National Tourist Organization, the resort “consists of a theme park on an expansive stretch of land, shopping zone and restaurants, natural onsen [hot spring] … domed lodgings, and more.”
Source: Japan National Tourist Organization
15. Hong Kong Disneyland, China4.5 million
A joint venture between Disney and the Hong Kong government, Hong Kong Disneyland opened in 2005. The park, located on Lantau Island, is divided into four “lands,” including “Main Street, U.S.A,” and was visited by about four and a half million people in 2007.
SOURCES: Hong Kong Tourism Board (4.7 million); TEA/ERA (4.2 million)
14. Ming Tombs, Tianshou Mountain, China4.7 million
According to UNESCO World Heritage Center, The Ming Tombs comprise “the funeral sites of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty, after its capital was moved to Beijing. The site is located at the foot of Tianshou Mountain, north of Beijing. The construction of these tombs started with the tomb of Emperor Chengzu, in 1409.”
SOURCE: UNESCO World Heritage Center
12. Ocean Park, Hong Kong, China(tie) 4.9 million*
Another aquatic-themed park, this time in Hong Kong, ties with Japan’s Yokohama Sea paradise. Ocean Park’s attractions include The Abyss, a 20-story free-fall thrill ride, a dolphin-breeding center called Dolphin University, and the Giant Panda Habitat.
SOURCES: Hong Kong Tourism Board (5 million); TEA/ERA (4.9 million)
12. Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise, Japan(tie) 4.9 million*
The fourth Japanese theme park on our list, Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise is located at the tip of Yokohama Bay and its aquariums house more than 100,000 sea creatures alongside thrill rides and shopping opportunities.
Sources: Japan National Tourist Organization (5.1 million), TEA/ERA (4.8 million) *average of two sources
11. Kenting National Park, Taiwan5 million*
Located at the island’s southern tip, Kenting is Taiwan’s first national park and comprises a wealth of ecological treasures, from white sand beaches to forests. About five million visitors flock to the park each year.
SOURCES: Taiwan Review (6 million); Tourism Bureau, Republic of China (Taiwan) (4 million) *Average of two sources.
10. Avenue of Stars, Hong Kong, China6.2 million
Modeled after Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, The Avenue of Stars runs along Hong Kong’s Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade at Victoria Harbour, and pays tribute to the celebrities of Hong Kong’s film industry. Highlights include a six-meter-tall sculpture of the Hong Kong Film Award and handprints of cinema luminaries like John Woo.
SOURCE: Hong Kong Tourism Board
9. Mount Tai (Taishan), Tai'an, China 7 million*
Regarded as the first of China’s five sacred mountains of Taoism, Mount Tai is located just north of Tai'an City, in China’s coastal Shandong Province. The mountain served as a sacred retreat for emperors during the ancient Zhou Dynasty, and was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 1987. Taishan Temple lies at the foot of the mountain, and some 7,000 stone steps lead to the Azure Clouds Temple at the top. Two sources estimate 8 and 6 million annual visitors, respectively.
SOURCES: Tai'an Municipal Investment Promotion Bureau (8 million); Tai Shan Official Web Site (6 million) *average of two sources
8. Everland, Kyonggi-Do, South Korea7.2 million
Everland, opened in 1976, is South Korea’s largest theme park and ranked tenth, just ahead of Universal Studios Florida, in TEA/ERA’s 2007 attendance ranking of world theme parks. The park is divided into five sections, including “European Adventure,” “American Adventure,” and “Global Fair,” where “a road leads to a new world of Dream and Hope where the Orient and the West meet and match together.”
SOURCE: TEA/ERA
7. Forbidden City, Beijing, China8 million*
According to the China Daily, Beijing’s Forbidden City was completed in 1420 and meant “to embody the idea of the emperor as the center of the universe and to evoke a visceral sense of his power. Surrounded by a wall more than 30 feet high and 20 feet thick, the walled fortress once served the emperor exclusively but became ‘a palace of the people’ in 1925 when the Republican forces transformed it into a museum.” Visitation estimates vary; our average of four sources puts the figure at 7.9 million.
SOURCES: China Daily (9 million); The Associated Press (7 million); Tapei Times (7 million); Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (8.8 million) *Average of four sources.
6. Universal Studios, Osaka, Japan 8.7 million*
This Osaka outpost of the Universal Studios theme parks welcomed 11 million visitors in its first year of operation (2001). In 2007 the movie theme park, home to Snoopy’s Sound Stage Adventure and Hollywood Dream: The Ride, was visited by about 8.7 million people.
Sources: Japan National Tourist Organization (8.6 million), TEA/ERA (8.7 million) *average of two sources.
5. Victoria Peak, Hong Kong, China9.4 million
Nearly nine and a half million tourists come to enjoy the view from Hong Kong Island’s highest mountain, which was developed as a resort for the wealthy in the 19th century, when a tram route was built. The Peak Tower, at the tram’s terminus, was renovated in 2005 and offers an oasis of dining, shopping and entertainment for those who ascend.
For more information: Hong Kong Tourism Board
4. Nagashima Spa Land, Japan11.4 million
This massive tourist complex in Japan’s Mie Prefecture includes a sprawling botanical garden (home to Japan’s largest flower festival), a large network of indoor and outdoor hot springs, an outlet mall, and an amusement park that is home to the renowned “Steel Dragon 2000” roller coaster. The TEA estimates 2007 amusement park attendance alone at 3.9 million, and the Japan National Tourist Organization pegs overall visitation at 11.4 million.
12 million
For more information: Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad
2. Great Wall of China, Bandaling16 million
The Wall traverses some 4,000 miles across north China, and its construction began more than two millennia ago as a barrier against invaders. Today the wall is invaded only by tourists: The 10 km section open to visitors at Bandaling (the nearest portion of the Wall to Beijing) receives millions of visitors each year. Estimates vary, but according to the Xinhua News Agency, the local municipal bureau has limited yearly visitation to the Wall at 16 million.
1. Tokyo Disney Land/Tokyo Disney Sea, Japan25.9* million visitors
The first Disney resort to be built outside of the U.S., Tokyo Disney Land/Tokyo Disney Sea celebrated its 25th anniversary this year, and its attendance was 25.4 million in 2007, according to the Japan National Tourist Organization. A separate trade-industry source comes up with a similar total for ‘07, breaking it down to 13.9 million visitors for land, and 12.4 million for sea.
Sources: Japan National Tourist Organization (25.4 million), Themed Entertainment Association/Economic Research Associates (TEA/ERA, 26.3 million)
*average of two sources
