- The UK capital remained in top spot in the Hotels.com study
- Paris was the second most visited city, followed by Toronto and Rome
- New York remains the most popular US city for foreign visitors
It could be the history, the ripple effect of the 2012 Games or the popularity of young royals – London has emerged as the top destination for US travellers in the first half of 2014.
The UK capital held its grip on top spot in a year-to-year Hotels.com study of the 50 most popular international cities for Americans.
Paris was the second most visited city, followed by Toronto, Rome and Vancouver.
It doesn’t come as a complete surprise that London claimed top spot on the list, which is based on hotel bookings.
Earlier this year, the MasterCard Global Cities Index report predicted London would be the most visited city in the world this year, with nearly 19 million international visitors.
While European and Canadian cities continue to be holiday hotspots for Americans, destinations in Latin America are becoming increasingly popular, the Hotels.com study revealed.
Mexico City (16th place), Cancun (20th), Panama City (35th) and Bogota (38th) each climbed four spots on the list.
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (44th), Lima, Peru (44th) and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (46th) made their debuts.
Bangkok suffered the biggest drop (seven spots to 21st), while Seoul, South Korea saw the biggest climb (six spots to 23rd).
The study also analysed the most popular US cities for foreign visitors in the first half of 2014, with New York holding onto first place.
The Big Apple was followed by Las Vegas and Orlando, Florida.
Destinations in California and Florida dominated the list, although Hollywood dropped three places to 23rd.
