Global market research company Euromonitor International recently released its annual Top 100 City Destination rankings report, which highlights the top 100 most visited cities based on 2017 international arrivals estimates for 2018.
It shows that Asian destinations dominating the tourism trends list, with over 40 entries.
Hong Kong is likely to hold on its status as world’s most popular city with international visitors in 2019, despite months of political unrest that led to a sharp drop in tourist numbers. New York city falls out of the top 10, and Delhi joins the ranks for the first time. Bangkok is expected to take second place, followed by Macau and Singapore.
London is predicted to round out the top five, although it’s dropped two places amid an uncertain future as Brexit leads to tighter visa restrictions for EU nationals. New York City, the most popular American destination with international travelers is expected to sink from eight spot to number 11.
Competition from Asia and Europe has seen most America cities slip recent years, despite positive growth in arrivals for most.
Growing trade tension with China is “one of the main concerns for the travel industry,” according to the report’s author, Rabia Yasmeen, who added that many U.S cities are actively attempting to tap the lucrative Chinese tourist market.
Hong Kong, Image: Ralf Roletschek / Wikimedia
Turkey’s largest city Istanbul will host 14.7 million tourists by the end of the year, Istanbul ranked 9th in the 2018 edition of the Top 100 city destinations. Asian cities continue to dominate the charts. Asia has the fastest growth in the number of international arrivals, says Euromonitor.
Globally, inbound arrivals are expected to rise 4.2percent in 2019, to 1.5 billion trips.
Euromonitor’s research covers overseas visitors, or “arrivals”, who stay longer than 24 hours and less than one year in over 400 cities around the world. Arrivals include people travelling for business, leisure and to visit family or friend, but exclude those in employment or education abroad as well as military personnel, transportation crew, cruise passengers and people displaced by war or natural disasters.
Euromonitor’s report suggest a quest for “local experience” reverberates across the world. In Europe, more renowned European city break destinations such as Milan (35) and Vienna (37) have fallen down the rankings, but upcoming hotspots in Croatia, Slovenia and Sweden have climbed the charts.
New Delhi, Image: Kabi1990 / creativecommons.org/
According to study, “they are proving popular as travelers seek newer, more localized experiences and less crowded locations. The popularity and increased number of low-cost carriers to these destinations has also favored growth of previously less explored destinations.”
More broadly, the Euromonitor list shows that Asian tourism is booming. The biggest leap up the rankings in 2019 is expected to come from Hurghada in Egypt, which is forecast to take 63rd position after joining the top in 82nd place last year. Thanks in part to a tourism reform program and improving security, Egypt remains North Africa’s leading destination, with Cairo also enjoying strong growth. Other notable climbers among the top 200 include Indian cities Agra and Bangalore, and Cebu in the Philippines.
Rabia Yasmeen, senior analyst at Euromonitor international says, “As tourism becomes a cornerstone for economic growth and receives more committed attention from government, cities are expected to be the center of innovation and investment with technology and sustainability as key focus areas in the years to come”.
