LONDON June 3 (People's Daily Online) —— This year, London has again topped the Global Destinations Cities Index, became the world’s most popular tourist destination.

London is projected to welcome 18.82 million international visitors in 2015, according to the annual report, putting the capital ahead of Bangkok. Both cities have topped the Index throughout its five-year history.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “I’m delighted that London has proudly held on to this coveted title, as we celebrate another triumphant and record-breaking year for tourism in the city.

"With its unrivalled mix of history, culture, culinary gems and cutting-edge creativity, I’m confident that these accolades will keep coming as the capital continues to surprise and excite visitors from all over the world.”

Europe now boasts three of the top five cities, London, Paris and Istanbul, with Bangkok and Dubai making up the global top five. Overall, nine European cities have each claimed a spot in the top 20 destination cities by international overnight visitors as follows: Barcelona (12th), Amsterdam (13th), Rome (14th), Milan (15th), Vienna (18th) and Prague (19th).

The latest results from the Office of National Statistics International Passenger Survey recently revealed that London welcomed over 17.4 million international visits in 2014 – more than ever before.