The most Instagrammed travel destinations in the world

Back in the day, you sent postcards to let people know where you had travelled to. Today, you post a picture on Instagram.

With over 95 million photos and videos uploaded to the social media platform every day according to Time, it’s now easier than ever to track the movement of travellers – and that’s exactly what the travel website TravelBird did.

Recently TravelBird compiled a list of the 470 most Instagrammed tourist attractions from around the world and ranked them based on the number of tags that showed up on the photo-sharing application.

While the U.S. dominates the list, only one Canadian attraction made the list: Niagara Falls (which landed the No. 12 spot).

“This study offers a compelling overview of hundreds of destinations that are beloved by Instagram users for their cultural heritage, their stunning natural beauty and their local charm,” Symen Jansma, founder of TravelBird, said in a statement. “Alongside this, the data also tells a fascinating story about the ways people are travelling in 2017, offering valuable insights for the travel and tourism industry.”

So which attractions made the list? Check out the top 10 below.

(The number of tags reported below is as of May 10)

1. Disneyland

Location: California, U.S.

Number of tags: 14, 615,952

2. Eiffel Tower

Location: Paris, France

Number of tags: 7,253,011

3. Walt Disney World

Location: Florida, U.S.

Number of tags: 5,465,098

4. South Beach

Location: Florida, U.S.

Number of tags: 4,689,396

5. Berlin Wall

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUJ4VqhhY1F/?tagged=berlinwall

Location: Berlin, Germany

Number of tags: 4,595,501

6. Las Vegas strip

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUKCjIMghC8/?tagged=lasvegasstrip

Location: Nevada, U.S.
Number of tags: 3,653,548

7. Big Ben

Location: Greater London, U.K.
Number of tags: 2,561,617

8. Times Square

Location: New York, U.S.A.
Number of tags: 2,560,272

9. Notre Dame

Location: Paris, France
Number of tags: 2,571,129

10. Oktoberfest

Location: Bavaria, Germany
Number of tags: 2,262,885

(To see the full list of destinations, click here.)

So how did the U.S. come to dominate the list? According to TravelBird, Canadian travellers had a big hand in making that happen.

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In fact, Canadians made 3.5 million trips to the U.S. alone last February, according to Statistics Canada. While that was a slight dip from the previous month (one per cent), the number of Canadians travelling to America increased over seven per cent since February 2016.

However, if any of these destinations pique your interest, remember that if you visit there are going to be a lot of tourists. So here are some tips to help you take that Instagram-worthy photo without having wandering tourists photobomb your captured moments.

1. If you’re in a tight spot crowding around something, travel website HostelBookers says it’s best to enjoy the moment first then take only a few pictures afterwards. This will help you evoke the memory when you look back on your photos, as well as the feelings you had when you were there. It might not be visually appealing to the average Instagram viewer, but it will be serving its purpose when you look at it down the road.
2. Look for unique angles and rare captures. Many people will just point and shoot, rather than finding a low or high angle or different perspective. Look for balconies that can hoist you up, find that clearing that others are ignoring, etc – just as long as you’re following the rules.
3. Sometimes the photo needs a subject, so include people in your shots. This will give people something to focus on in this picture rather than looking at dead space.
4. There’s no need to rush to take a photo. Take your time to set up your shot and have patience. The shot will eventually come.