Euromonitor’s 100 city destination ranking unveiled

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Euromonitor International released its annual Top 100 Cities Destination Ranking. 

Highlights
Top10 City Destinations - In terms of 2014 international arrivals 

Rank	City	Country	2013	2014	% Increase 2013/2104
1	Hong Kong	Hong Kong, China	25,661.1	27,770.0	8.2
2	London	United Kingdom	16,784.0	17,383.9	3.6
3	Singapore	Singapore	17,146.7	17,086.2	-0.4
4	Bangkok	Thailand	17,467.8	16,245.0	-7.0
5	Paris	France	15,271.9	14,981.7	-1.9
6	Macau	Macau	13,935.3	14,966.5	7.4
7	Shenzhen	China	12,148.9	13,120.8	8.0
8	New York City	USA	11,850.4	12,230.0	3.2
9	Istanbul	Turkey	10,486.3	11,871.2	13.2
10	Kuala Lumpur	Malaysia	11,182.3	11,629.6	4.0

Source: Euromonitor International

The new ranking shows:

• Rio de Janeiro registers the strongest increase in international arrivals at 46.6% in 2014, thanks to the FIFA World Cup in Brazil, while the Olympic Games 2016 are expected to drive further growth
• Due to geopolitical tensions, Kiev exits the ranking for the first time, while Saint Petersburg and Moscow record double digit decline
• 2014 represents a record year for tourism in Greece, with an all-time high in international arrivals. Three Greek cities enter the ranking, including Athens with double digit growth
• With seven cities each, China and the US dominate the ranking. While American cities, with the exception of Miami, show little dynamism, both arrivals and departures from Chinese cities keep growing
• London remains the top European city destination, followed by Paris with 2% fall between 2013 and 2014

UK insights
London

• With over 17 million arrivals in 2014, and 4% growth since the previous year, London rises from the third to the second spot in Euromonitor’s top 100 cities destination ranking, overtaking Bangkok and Singapore.
• London is the most visited city in Europe, followed by Paris on the 5th spot with 15 million international arrivals. London attracts over double international visitors than Rome, which ranks 14th with 8.7 million arrivals.
• London is a global hub and a leading city for both leisure and business travel.  The US and Europe are the most important source markets, although much effort is being made to attract Chinese visitors through the nationwide China Welcome Campaign.

Wouter Geerts, Travel Analyst at Euromonitor, comments: “London is one of the most iconic cities in the world. The resounding success of the London Olympics in 2012 has boosted visibility and popularity even further. However, with London airports nearing capacity, the capital risks losing out to European rivals. To remain competitive in the international city destinations landscape, ensuring connectivity and innovation is key.”

Other British Cities
London is the only UK city in the top 100 city destinations ranking. However, the WTM Global Trends Report 2015 by Euromonitor International reveals that digitalisation is providing new opportunities to entice tourists to visit regions outside of London. Bristol, for example, has installed more than 200 beacons around the city, which use Bluetooth connectivity to send and receive data from nearby smartphones, providing visitors with information relevant to where they are. Bristol is part of the Government-backed UK Smart City initiative, where IoT projects are creating efficient urban services for residents and visitors, reveals the report – which is celebrating its 10th anniversary at WTM London 2015. Embedded digital technology around cities can improve transport, accessibility and facilities and some technological advances are expected to become tourist attractions in their own right. One such project is the trial of driverless cars in Milton Keynes. The self-driving pods are located in pedestrianised areas and visitors can hail a vehicle by smartphone app.

Euromonitor International, Head of Travel, Caroline Bremner said: “UK cities are redefining their tourist offerings, with many turning to digitalisation and hi-tech solutions to attract visitors. This can range from simple smartphone applications and online games to sophisticated, smart cities that use big data to transform the urban experience for both residents and tourists alike.”

Bremner added: “Smart City projects can help cities differentiate themselves from competitors by offering cutting-edge technology applications to help visitors make the most of their stay. For tourists the IoT could bring real-time information on traffic and public transport, platforms to gather and distribute information about cities as well as efficient allocation of resources to boost sustainability.”