BEIRUT: Beirut has the second highest visitor spending levels in the Middle East and Africa, but ranked ninth by number of arrivals in the top 10 destination cities in the region, according to the MasterCard Index of Global Destination Cities.

In its Cross-Border Travel and Expenditures for the second quarter of 2011, MasterCard Index revealed the top 10 destination cities in the Middle East and Africa which are ranked globally in terms of the number of their total international visitor arrivals and cross border spending by these same visitors in the destination cities since the same period in 2010.

Dubai came in first with $7.8 billion, followed by Beirut with $6.5 billion, Tel Aviv with $3.8 billion, Cairo at $3.7 billion and Johannesburg with $3.3 billion.

As for the top 10 destination cities in the Middle East and Africa by international visitors, Dubai also came in first with 7.9 million, followed by Cairo with 3.7 million, Johannesburg with 3.0 million, Tel Aviv with 2.7 million and Casablanca with 2.5 million. Beirut ranked ninth with 1.7 million visitors, on par with Tunis which also received 1.7 million visitors.

The index also revealed expected visitor arrivals growth rates for the top 10 destination cities in the Middle East and Africa between 2010 and 2011. Beirut’s growth rate is expected to be 13.9 percent; Dubai’s 17.3 percent; Cairo’s 21.6 percent: Johannesburg’s 9.9 percent; and Tel Aviv’s growth rate is expected to be 13.8 percent.

The annual report also included statistics for North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia.

Globally, London ranked first for international visitors, with 20.1 million tourists in the last year, followed by Paris, Bangkok, Singapore and Hong Kong, with Dubai ranking ninth.