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The 10 Most Expensive Tourist Photo Spots

Discover the world's most expensive and in-demand photo spots—from the Burj Khalifa to Mount Kilimanjaro.
ByCaLea Johnson|
The Burj Khalifa takes center stage in this skyline view of Dubai.
The Burj Khalifa takes center stage in this skyline view of Dubai. | Gary McGovern/GettyImages

One fun part of traveling is taking pictures of your destinations and keeping them as memories. But some shots come at a steep cost. If you’re planning an Instagram-worthy vacation, these popular tourist attractions will cost you the most to visit and photograph, according to Heepsy.

  1. The 10 Priciest Shots for Tourists

For its report, the influencer marketing platform compiled a list of popular, highly-photographed locations that frequently feature on social media, travel guide sites, and traveler bucket lists. Analysts then evaluated each vacation spot using eight metrics, including entrance fees, photography fees, online popularity, and visitation numbers. Each spot was rated on a scale of 0 to 100. You can find detailed information about the study’s methodology and more here.

Coming out on top is the Burj Khalifa, scoring a perfect 100 thanks to its high popularity and high cost. Despite the Dubai landmark’s $108 entrance fee, it still receives 17 million visitors per year. It’s no surprise that a visit to the humongous structure is so in demand. It’s the tallest building in the world, standing about 2716.5 feet tall.

Mount Kilimanjaro from Kenya
Mount Kilimanjaro—not a casual tourist destination. | Torleif Svensson/GettyImages

Mount Kilimanjaro trails behind, with a score of 97.3. Located near Kenya’s border, the Tanzanian peak charges a $70 daily park fee and garners 5.5 million web searches annually. Mount Kilimanjaro is part of the Seven Summits, a collection of the highest peaks on each continent, making it a must-visit destination for many avid climbers.

Rounding out the top three attractions on this list is the Eiffel Tower (94.6). The French landmark requires only $39 for entry, making it one of the less expensive options on the list. Nearly 140 years after opening in 1889, it continues to bring in 7 million tourists yearly.

Here’s the full ranking of the most expensive tourist attractions for photo ops:

The 10 Priciest Shots for Tourists

  1. Burj Khalifa // Dubai, UAE
  2. Mount Kilimanjaro // Mount Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania
  3. Eiffel Tower // Paris, France
  4. Big Ben // London, UK
  5. Galápagos Islands // Galápagos, Ecuador
  6. Sagrada Familia // Barcelona, Spain
  7. Grand Canyon // Arizona, U.S.
  8. Machu Picchu // Cusco, Peru
  9. Palace of Versailles // Versailles, France
  10. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park // Zhangjiajie, China

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