Fun facts from around the world
Curious facts about destinations, sights and travelling, each with its own illustration. The same ones greet you every time you sign in to Activento.
In Greece, high heels have been banned at sites like the Acropolis since 2009 because the sharp heels damage the ancient stone. 
France is the most visited country in the world, with around 100 million international tourists a year. 
Tourism accounts for around 10 % of global GDP and employs one worker in ten. 
Germans are among the world's keenest travellers, with over 55 million trips abroad a year. 
In 2026, Singapore's passport ranks as the world's most powerful, with visa-free access to 190+ countries. 
Around 40 % of all tourists worldwide visit just 10 countries. 
More than half a million pilgrims now walk the Camino de Santiago every year. 
The newest generation of cruise ships carries over 6,000 passengers, and some have their own roller coasters, ice rinks and water parks. 
In the 1950s around 31 million people flew each year worldwide. Today it is over 5 billion. 
The package holiday was invented in 1841 by Thomas Cook, who organised a group train trip. 
Airbnb was founded in 2008 because its founders could not afford the rent and started letting out air beds. 
Instagram is changing travel: in a 2017 UK survey, 40 % of 18-to-33-year-olds picked their destination by how "instagrammable" it was.
