With over 17 million arrivals, Paris remains the world’s most popular city among tourists for the fourth successive year, says a study by Euromonitor International, data analytics company, in partnership with Lighthouse.

In a press statement, Euromonitor says that as per its Top 100 City Destinations 2024, following Paris are Spanish capital Madrid and Japanese capital Tokyo in second and third position.

It adds that European destinations continue to perform well in the rankings, largely due to their strong tourism infrastructure. 

According to its report, in 2024, global international arrivals saw a significant 19 pc increase, reflecting robust tourism demand with Europe accounting for 793 million international trips during the year.

Asia also stood out in the top 10 with representation from two cities. Bangkok topped the list of international arrivals by city with 32 million trips in 2024. The city surpassed pre-pandemic level of international tourism flows in 2023 and continued dynamic growth of over 30 pc in 2024.  

The statement adds that the United States, Türkiye and China are expected to be the destinations with the highest volume growth of international arrivals by 2030. 

Nadejda Popova

“Despite positive recovery projections, challenges like labour shortages, geopolitical tensions and a sluggish economy will persist, limiting city growth. Less-travelled destinations and third-tier cities are expected to rise in popularity as travellers seek hidden gems, off-season experiences and responsible tourism. Consumers will prioritise culturally enriching, personalised experiences, making them the new travel currency,” says Nadejda Popova, Global Head of Loyalty, Euromonitor International.

According to the statement, the report compares 55 different metrics across six key pillars which include economic and business performance, tourism performance, tourism infrastructure, tourism policy and attractiveness, health and safety, and sustainability for 100 city destinations, to create an overall city attractiveness score.

Euromonitor also highlighted international tourism spending which totalled to USD 1.9 trillion in 2024. The company estimates that the global average spend per arrival will reach USD 1,264 by 2030. Between 2024-2030, inbound average spend per trip is expected to show the highest growth in markets such as the Netherlands, China and Poland.  

“In 2024, global cities increasingly leveraged sports and cultural events to boost tourism revenues. Infrastructure improvements and continuous marketing have attracted travellers’ attention, opening further growth opportunities,” says Popova.  

“The renewed concern about over tourism is on the rise. In response to over tourism, destinations continue to impose higher taxation and entry fees, promoting year-round tourism, rewarding sustainable actions and adopting GenAI solutions,” she adds.