In 2025, the world’s top 100 tourism cities were projected to receive 702 million international trips, up 8% and equivalent to 46% of global inbound travel, according to Euromonitor International. Bangkok led international arrivals at around 30 million, while Paris remained at the top of the overall city-destination index.
Volume and competitiveness are not the same thing
Euromonitor evaluates cities across pillars beyond arrivals: economic and business performance, infrastructure, tourism policy, attractiveness, health and safety, and sustainability. That creates an important distinction between being heavily visited and being structurally competitive.
Bangkok combines regional connectivity, price, urban transport, hospitality and gateway capacity to other Thai destinations. Paris combines infrastructure, global brand, culture, events, mobility and a highly mature visitor economy.
Great cities sell layers of product
A visitor can arrive for business and stay for food, come for an event and add culture, or use the city as a hub and extend the trip. This density of reasons helps increase length of stay, spend and resilience.
Urban competitiveness emerges from overlapping layers: aviation, hospitality, entertainment, events, retail, neighborhoods, mobility, safety, nightlife and digital reputation.
Connectivity is product
New terminals, efficient airports, rail and public transport are not just infrastructure. They change perceived experience and a destination’s ability to convert intent into travel.
The next challenge is quality, not only quantity
The most successful cities face a paradox: growth can degrade the conditions that created attraction. Housing pressure, mobility, heritage and resident experience turn demand management into part of the tourism product.
The relevant question for 2027 is not only which cities receive more visitors, but which ones can increase value, distribute flows, protect quality of life and remain desirable for both residents and travelers.
What this means for destinations
An urban strategy should track not only arrivals but source-market mix, length of stay, spend, neighborhood occupancy, event calendar, connectivity, perceived safety and resident satisfaction. The ranking is an outcome; the competitive system comes first.
Sources and context
Euromonitor International · Top 100 City Destinations Index 2025 · Travel + Leisure · Bangkok, most-visited city in 2025