Spain is set to replace the United States as the second tourist destination

The United Nations World Tourism Organization said Spain is set to replace the United States as the world's second tourist destination, while France retains the first place.

Zurab Pololikashvili, head of the World Tourism Organization, said Spain was expected to take second place, with 82 million visitors last year.

Pololikashvili gave no details of the United States, nor did he explain why Spain took second place despite the terrorist attack in August and the independence crisis in tourist Catalonia, home to Barcelona and the Costa Brava.

"Everything indicates" that France will hold its place in 2017 - a good year for the industry as global tourist numbers jumped 7% in 2016, the biggest increase in seven years, said John Kester, head of tourism trends at the UN agency.

Europe was the star of the show as it attracted a large number of visitors, up 8% from the previous year, attracted in particular by the Mediterranean and the sun.

This contrasts with 2016 figures which saw security concerns hit visitors in Europe.

"We see that the demand for Europe destinations has been very strong," Kester said. "We are also seeing an important recovery in France," he added, without giving further details of a country hard hit by extremist attacks.