Paris named the world's most attractive city in 2025

Paris has again been named the world's most attractive city — the capital of France took first place in Euromonitor International's Top 100 City Destinations Index for the fifth year running. Euromonitor estimates Paris welcomed more than 18 million visitors in 2025.

According to the report, 2025 was another strong year for Paris: demand was boosted by the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral and an influx of football fans after Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) won the Champions League for the first time. Researchers also note the city was well-prepared for growing tourist flows thanks to tourism policy and developed infrastructure.

The ranking assesses the world's leading cities across several groups of indicators, including tourism, sustainability, economic performance, and health and safety.

Europe holds its lead in the top 10

In the 2025 list, Europe again dominates: six cities make the top ten. Madrid ranks 2nd, Rome and Milan 4th and 5th, Amsterdam 7th, and Barcelona climbed two spots to 8th.

London, meanwhile, continued to slide: having dropped out of the top 10 to 13th place a year earlier, it now sits at 18th — between Hong Kong (17th) and Kyoto (19th). The report notes that while London has strong tourism infrastructure (4th in the world on that measure), it lags in areas like tourism policy, health and safety, and sustainability.

Strong showing for Asia, and the sole US representative in the top 10

The Asia-Pacific region put in a solid performance: Tokyo ranks 3rd, Singapore 9th, and Seoul climbed into the top 10 at 10th. Tokyo is also among the world leaders in tourism infrastructure (3rd place), reinforcing that status through major investment in Narita Airport. Plans include a third runway and an extension of the second, expected to double passenger capacity by 2039.

New York holds steady at 6th place, remaining the only US city in the top ten. The next-highest US city was Los Angeles, which climbed five spots to 13th.

The report separately highlights Orlando, Florida: the city became a world leader in tourism performance, driven primarily by strong domestic demand. Growth was helped by the opening of the Epic Universe theme park at Universal Orlando Resort in May 2025, along with major upgrades at SeaWorld and Disney World. Orlando also hosted six matches of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

Bangkok — No. 1 for international arrivals

Euromonitor reports Bangkok again leads on tourism policy and appeal metrics, and remains the world's No. 1 city for international arrivals in 2025, estimated at 30.3 million international trips.

Next in the international arrivals ranking:

Hong Kong — 23.2 million
London — 22.7 million
Macau — 20.4 million
Istanbul — 19.7 million
Dubai — 19.5 million
Mecca — 18.7 million
Antalya — 18.6 million
Paris — 18.3 million
Kuala Lumpur — 17.3 million

2025 trends: tackling overtourism and faster "e-clearance"

Amid overcrowding at tourist hotspots, cities are increasingly shifting strategy toward value over volume: priority goes to travellers who stay longer, spend more, and engage with local culture and communities more responsibly.

A separate theme is changing entry rules and the cost of formalities. Rising security concerns, growing tourist flows, overtourism, and inflationary pressure are pushing destinations to revise entry fees and roll out electronic travel authorisation systems faster. These decisions are expected to shape cities' long-term tourism appeal.

The report notes that in 2025 the UK and the US raised fees, and the EU is preparing to launch the European Travel Authorization System (ETIAS) next year — with a higher fee. Japan is also considering a package of measures, including raising visa fees and creating its own electronic entry authorisation system, potentially launching by 2028.

Euromonitor's top 10 destination cities for 2025

Paris
Madrid
Tokyo
Rome
Milan
New York
Amsterdam
Barcelona
Singapore
Seoul