Some places seem to always be at the top of everyone’s bucket-lists, like France, Italy or China. These places are so popular, they usher in millions of visitors every year. According to figures released this August, France welcomed 84.7 million foreign visitors, making it the most visited country in the world.The United States came in second after receiving 69.8 million tourists, reports The Telegraph, and Spain, China and Italy followed close behind respectively. But while these countries may be luring millions, there are others that have – at least so far – escaped travelers’ attentions, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
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Located in the West Indies, the island of Montserrat is one of those overlooked places. It received only 7,000 tourists in 2013, according to the UNTWO, but these low numbers may be partly due a series of volcanic eruptions that racked the island in 1995, reports The Telegraph. The lower half of the island and its capital city of Plymouth were completely covered in volcanic ash. Today, however, the island is experiencing a re-birth, according to Lonely Planet, and visitors can come for come for some volcano-related day trips, visit island’s rich tropical life, and experience Caribbean culture without the crowds or cruise ships.
Other countries have escaped the onslaught of visitors for other reasons. Some, like Dominica, are simply difficult to reach because there are no direct international flights, writes Lonely Planet, while others, such as Bhutan, have deliberately tried to limit the number of people that cross its borders. According to Fodors, there is a minimum tariff of $250 dollars per day to visit Bhutan, making it a very expensive destination.
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So whether you have already been to Paris and Milan, want an escape the hordes of fellow travelers or are simply looking for something different on your vacation, here were the least visited countries in 2013.
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