Fastest Growing Destinations For 2012, According To MasterCard Study (PHOTOS)

PHOTOS: World's Fastest Growing Destinations

Everyone has an opinion about where to go next, or where the next hot spot will be. MasterCard took that understanding and put it to a scientific test, which the company revealed in its WorldWide Insights study, released Wednesday.

The study looks at the already-established destinations such as London, Paris and New York but also examines the up-and-comers by checking data of incoming international flights and their capacity, as researched by OAG Global.

MasterCard found that seven of the 20 emerging destinations can be found in Asia and the Pacific; four in the Middle East and Africa, and six in Latin America. The rest are in Europe and the Americas.

"In spite of a challenging global economic backdrop, this year’s Index projects that there are hot spots of robust growth around the globe, in terms of both international visitor arrivals and expenditure...With a new generation of international travelers from emerging markets flocking to the world’s top destinations, global cities continue to represent an important engine of growth," Dr. Yuwa Hedrick-Wong, global economic advisor for MasterCard Worldwide and the author of the report, said in the release.

Check out the cities below. Do any of them make your to-see list?

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