From theatres and art galleries to local cuisine and green space, there are loads of factors to consider when picking the world’s best cities. How can you compare the skyscrapers of Singapore with the quaint little streets of Rome?
Well, Euromonitor International has had a crack at it. Their annual Top 100 City Destinations index ranks cities from all over the world, based on factors such as health and safety, economic performance, sustainability and tourism.
And where came out on top? This year, it was Paris that claimed the crown – not long after the city announced plans for a massive new metro system.
Europe scored exceptionally well overall, with cities across the continent claiming seven of the top 10 and 63 of the top 100 spots. Asian cities also did well across the top 20, with Singapore, Seoul, Osaka and Hong Kong making the list. For the first time ever, Tokyo claimed a comfortable spot in the top 10.
Washington DC, Montreal, Santiago and Vilnius were the four newcomers into the top 100 this year, thanks to improvements to their scores for tourism. Istanbul had the highest number of international arrivals in 2023, followed by London and Dubai.
International travel is well and truly back, with projected trips to reach a whopping 1.3 billion by the end of 2023, and global tourism spending due to generate around $1.7 billion.
However, many destinations are implementing overtourism measures, and both geopolitical instability and the cost of living crisis are set to be big hurdles for travellers over the next couple of years.
These are the top 20 cities in Euromonitor’s Top 100 City Destinations Index 2023
- Paris, France
- Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Madrid, Spain
- Tokyo, Japan
- Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Berlin, Germany
- Rome, Italy
- New York, United States
- Barcelona, Spain
- London, United Kingdom
- Singapore
- Munich, Germany
- Milan, Italy
- Seoul, South Korea
- Dublin, Ireland
- Osaka, Japan
- Hong Kong
- Vienna, Austria
- Los Angeles, United States
- Lisbon, Portugal
We have our own ideas, of course. Check out our ranking of the world’s best cities for culture or the coolest neighbourhoods across the planet.
Did you see that vaping is likely to be banned next year in this European country?
Plus: Amsterdam has unveiled new rules to tackle overtourism in 2024.
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