World’s top 100 cities revealed – and London isn’t in the top 10

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN

(CNN) — It’s been a big old year for Paris: the Olympics this summer, Notre Dame reopening this weekend, and now it’s been named the most attractive city in the world.

It’s the fourth time in a row that the French capital has taken the No.1 spot in the Top 100 City Destinations Index by data analytics company Euromonitor International.

More than 70 million people traveled to the City of Light this year and the metropolis was more than prepared for them, thanks to its excellent tourism policy and infrastructure, said the report.

The index looks at leading cities from around the world and ranks them on criteria including tourism, sustainability, economic performance and health and safety.

Europe dominates the 2024 rankings with six cities in the top 10. Madrid is at No.2, Rome and Milan are at No.4 and No.5, Amsterdam is at No.7 and Barcelona is at No.10.

London, which was at No.10 last year and recently topped an alternative World’s Best Cities index, only makes it to No.13 on the list, between Seoul at No.12 and Dubai at No.14.

While London ranks just after Paris for the best tourism infrastructure, it failed to break Euromonitor international’s top 10 for tourism policy, health and safety or sustainability.

Bangkok top city for international arrivals

Asia-Pacific performed well, with Tokyo at No.3, Sydney at No.8 and Singapore at No.9. The yen hit record lows against major currencies in 2024, making it an attractive proposition globally for both business and leisure travel. Close to 13 million international Tokyo trips were recorded in 2024, says Euromonitor International, notably higher than pre-pandemic levels.

New York, at No.6, is the only American city in the top 10. Los Angeles, at No.18, is the next highest. New York takes the top spot in the category for tourism performance, with high demand both internationally and domestically.

Bangkok is the top city for tourism policy and attractiveness and also was the No.1 city worldwide in 2024 for international arrivals. Euromonitor International reports a whopping 32.4 million international trips there in 2024, nearly 10 million more than last year’s No.1, Istanbul, which in 2024 has recorded 23 million.

The overtourism problem

London is No.3 for international arrivals, with 21.7 million trips and 7% growth. Hong Kong is at No.4, with 20.5 international arrivals and 19% growth, and the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia was at No.5, with 19.3 million visitors and 20% growth.

Euromonitor International notes several trends for 2024. Numerous destinations have simplified their visa processes, implementing electronic travel authorizations and expanding short-term visa-free entry.

On the other hand, overtourism has become a big global headache too. To manage the overflow of visitors in the busiest tourist destinations, cities are introducing measures such as tourism-related taxes and restricted visiting hours.

There’s also a major crackdown on short-term rentals. This week Italy banned Airbnb self-check-ins, as the country prepares for a huge influx of visitors for the Vatican’s Holy Jubilee Year in 2025.

Euromonitor International’s Top 10 City Destinations for 2025

• Paris
• Madrid
• Tokyo
• Rome
• Milan
• New York
• Amsterdam
• Sydney
• Singapore
• Barcelona

Top 10 cities in international arrivals for 2025

• Bangkok (32.4 million international trips)
• Istanbul (23 million)
• London (21.7 million)
• Hong Kong (20.5 million)
• Mecca (19.3 million)
• Antalya (19.3 million)
• Dubai (18.2 million)
• Macau (18 million)
• Paris (17.4 million)
• Kuala Lumpur (16.5 million)

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