As global travel continues its recovery, a new report from euromonitor International offers a key snapshot of the world’s most sought-after destinations. Paris has retained its position as the world’s most appealing city, a ranking based on factors including tourism performance, sustainability, and safety, while Bangkok is projected to welcome the highest number of international visitors in 2025. The report also highlights the rising prominence of cities like Istanbul and Antalya, signaling a shift in global tourism patterns and increased competition among urban centers.
Paris has been named the world’s most appealing city in a new report, solidifying its position as a global tourism powerhouse. The ranking, released by Euromonitor International, comes as the travel industry continues to rebound from pandemic-era disruptions, and highlights the growing competition among major urban destinations.
PARIS RETAINS TOP SPOT
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According to the 2025 Top 100 City Destinations Index, Paris excelled in areas ranging from tourism performance and sustainability to economic indicators and overall safety. Madrid, Tokyo, Rome, and Milan rounded out the top five most attractive cities. Barcelona saw a two-place increase, landing in eighth position, while Amsterdam secured seventh place.
ISTANBUL AND ANTALYA MAKE THE LIST
The report also revealed significant gains for Turkish cities, with both Istanbul and Antalya making it into the top 10. This demonstrates Turkey’s increasing prominence as a key player in the global tourism market.
BANGKOK LEADS IN VISITOR NUMBERS
While Paris topped the list for overall appeal, Bangkok emerged as the city expected to attract the highest number of international visitors in 2025, with an anticipated 30.3 million tourists. Hong Kong, London, and Macau followed closely behind.
TOP 10 MOST APPEALING CITIES
The full list of the 10 most appealing city destinations is as follows:
- 1- Paris
- 2- Madrid
- 3- Tokyo
- 4- Rome
- 5- Milan
- 6- New York
- 7- Amsterdam
- 8- Barcelona
- 9- Singapore
- 10- Seul
ISTANBUL AND ANTALYA RANK HIGH FOR TOURIST ATTRACTION
Istanbul secured fifth place in the ranking of cities by international visitor numbers, welcoming 19.7 million tourists. Antalya followed closely, claiming eighth place with 18.6 million visitors. The strong performance of these two cities underscores Turkey’s growing tourism strength.
TOP 10 CITIES BY INTERNATIONAL VISITOR ARRIVALS
Here’s the ranking of the top 10 cities by international visitor arrivals for 2025, according to the report:
- 1- Bangkok – 30,3 million
- 2- Hong Kong – 23,2 million
- 3- London – 22,7 million
- 4- Makao – 20,4 million
- 5- İstanbul – 19,7 million
- 6- Dubai – 19,5 million
- 7- Mekke – 18,7 million
- 8- Antalya – 18,6 million
- 9- Paris – 18,3 million
- 10- Kuala Lumpur – 17,3 million
LONDON’S RANKING DECLINES
Despite maintaining strong scores for its tourism infrastructure, London experienced a decline in its ranking, falling to 18th place. This shift is attributed to setbacks in tourism policies, security, and sustainability efforts. The development highlights the importance of addressing these factors to remain competitive in the global tourism landscape.
TURKEY’S TOURISM SECTOR CONTINUES TO GROW
The success of Istanbul and Antalya demonstrates the increasing strength of Turkey’s tourism sector. Maintaining high tourist numbers in both cities suggests a strong start to the 2025 season for the country, and positions it for continued growth in the years to come.
