I decided to cross it off my list of vacation destinations.

My first impression was that I'd made a poor choice of a vacation destination.

So, which are the most popular vacation destinations in the world?

The main reason anyone who lives in a vacation destination leaves it for another is simple: we live here.

What's the most popular vacation destination on Earth - and why?

Others saw the area as a vacation destination and retirement place.

It has been a popular vacation destination since the mid-19th century.

How to determine the most popular vacation destination on Earth?

Before we reveal the most popular vacation destination, let's look at three that didn't quite make the No. 1 position.

China was the fourth most popular vacation destination in 2008.