Irrespective of the Olympics, international tourists are still flocking to Boston.

Record numbers of foreign tourists, business travelers, and students — nearly 1.4 million to be exact — visited the city in 2014, The Boston Globe reports. This number, which doesn’t include visitors from Canada and Mexico, is up 10 percent from the previous year, and current Logan Airport figures show the trend is continuing this year.

According to the Globe, the rise is related to an increased number of nonstop international flights between major global cities. In 2014, six nonstop flights to cities, such as Beijing, Dubai, and Istanbul, were authorized by Logan Airport.


Foreign visitors collectively spent over $1 billion in the local economy last year, the Globe reports. Officials expect the numbers to continue to rise, as eight new flights around the globe will be added this year, with another five slated for a 2016 take off.

We may be a world-class city yet.

Read the full story at the Globe.

Wondering what to do while you’re here? Take our Ultimate Boston Walking Tour: