Guess how many online travel articles have been written about London
The folks at Meraki Travel must have some time on their hands.
They’ve just done some research to work out how long it would take to read every article online about ‘things to do’ in different cities around the world.
Apparently, for London alone there are more than 1.1 billion articles, which Meraki says would take a ‘staggering 4,350 years’ to read.
London is top of a list of 10 capital cities that Meraki thinks would take you the longest to research. (See below. We can only hope they didn’t actually attempt to read all of those articles!)
The rationale behind the research was to demonstrate that there is a seemingly infinite number of reviews and a minefield of different destinations to consider.
That’s why, according to Meraki’s research, 36% of Brits take at least two weeks to research options, 22% take more than a month, and why 5% spend at least six months researching and comparing possible holidays before feeling ready to book.
"In reality, no one would ever try and read every single article about a destination, but the research highlights the sheer volume of choice and information that we’re faced with when trying to make a decision," said general manger Matt Hodgson, before pointing out that Meraki can help with its ‘hand-picked’ recommendations of the best attractions, accommodation and experiences in each destination.
Meraki currently offers holidays to India, Sri Lanka, China, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and Canada. South East Asia is set to launch in 2020.
The top 10 capital cities that would, according to Meraki, take the longest to research fully:
London – 4,350 years
Mexico City – 1,618 years
Paris – 1,568 years
Singapore – 1,335 years
Washington DC – 1,313 years
Berlin – 1,061 years
New Delhi – 988 years
Rome – 809 years
Cape Town – 736 years
Tokyo – 702 years
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season