Paris Ranks No. 1 for Five Consecutive Years
Madrid Takes Second, Tokyo Third
Seoul has been ranked as the 10th most attractive travel destination in the world.
On December 4 (local time), CNN reported that Seoul placed 10th in the "Top 100 Cities Worldwide" ranking, which was compiled by global data analytics firm Euromonitor International based on a comprehensive evaluation of the number of tourists, tourism infrastructure, and other factors.
Seoul dropped from 16th place in 2016 to 24th in 2018, but rebounded to 14th in 2023. Last year, it climbed two spots to 12th, and this year, it entered the top 10.
Paris, France, took the top spot for the fifth consecutive year in this survey. The reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral and major events such as the UEFA Champions League matches drew a large influx of tourists. Madrid, Spain, ranked second.
Tokyo, Japan, came in third, achieving the highest ranking among Asian cities. CNN noted that Tokyo plans to double its passenger capacity by 2039 through the construction of a third runway and the expansion of the second runway at Narita International Airport.
Rome, Italy, ranked fourth, while Milan placed fifth. New York came in sixth, making it the only U.S. city to make the top 10. Amsterdam in the Netherlands (seventh), Barcelona in Spain (eighth), and Singapore (ninth) rounded out the top 10.
London, United Kingdom, which fell out of the top 10 last year and ranked 13th, continued its downward trend this year, dropping to 18th. CNN analyzed that while London ranked fourth in tourism infrastructure, it lagged behind in tourism policy, safety, and sustainability.
This year, the city most visited by international tourists was Bangkok, Thailand, with an estimated 30.3 million annual visitors. Hong Kong ranked second with 23.2 million visitors, followed by London (22.7 million) and Macau (20.4 million).
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
