Korea Observer: Top 100 City Destinations Ranking

Euromonitor International is pleased to release the Top City Destinations Ranking, covering 100 of the world’s leading cities in terms of international tourist arrivals. Continued economic growth helped these cities collectively experience a gain of 6.6% in 2012, outpacing the 4.2% growth of overall international arrivals.

Within the top 10, six cities are located in Asia, demonstrating the importance of the region to international travel. Overall, 32 of the top 100 city destinations are in Asia Pacific, 12 more than in second-placed Western Europe.

The Rise of Chinese Tourists Impacts Top Cities

Hong Kong and Singapore maintained their first and second place spots in 2012. China was the fastest growing source market and helped them to retain their leading positions. Arrivals from China to Hong Kong grew by 11.1% in 2012 and accounted for a 63.5% share of all inbound visitors.

Without taking Chinese arrivals into account, however, international arrivals to Hong Kong were flat. China is the third largest source market for Singapore although it accounts for only 9.6% of international arrivals. Instead, Singapore relies heavily on arrivals from Malaysia and Indonesia, which together account for slightly more than half of all arrivals.

Chinese tourists were also a boon to Thailand’s tourism industry, increasing by 62% in 2012 to become the largest source market for tourists. Chinese tourists visit Thailand for its temples, beaches and shopping.

Additionally, the 2012 Chinese film “Lost in Thailand” inspired more tourists to flock to the country. As a result, Bangkok edged out London for third place in the rankings.

As a mature destination heavily dependent on mature source markets, such as the US and Europe, London’s 2.3% increase was a reasonable performance. Instead of being a boon for international tourism, the summer Olympics had a displacement effect, with 5% fewer international arrivals to the city in July 2012 compared to July 2011, according to the UK’s Office for National Statistics.

While the Chinese Venture Abroad, Fewer Travellers Visit China

In absolute terms, Shanghai, Beijing and Zhuhai were among the worst performing cities in 2012. . A slowing economy, a stronger yuan and pollution fears all dissuaded travellers from visiting Asian countries, as well as Canadians and Russians from visiting China.

In particular, tourists from Japan, the fifth largest source market, experienced a decline due to the weak yen and the ongoing dispute over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.

However, Guilin registered strong growth thanks to the efforts of its government to promote the city as an international destination at travel trade fairs held in Thailand, Russia and Malaysia, as well as the city’s burgeoning reputation for sightseeing.

Euromonitor International’s Top City Destinations Ranking

City	Country	Ranking	Arrivals 2012 (‘000)	2011/2012 % Growth
Hong Kong	Hong Kong	1	23,770.2	6.5
Singapore	Singapore	2	21,345.7	7.7
Bangkok	Thailand	3	15,822.6	14.6
London	UK	4	15,461.0	2.3
Macau	Macau	5	13,360.8	3.4
Kuala Lumpur	Malaysia	6	13,339.5	6.7
Shenzhen	China	7	12,100.4	9.6
New York City	USA	8	11,618.0	8.9
Antalya	Turkey	9	10,296.6	-1.6
Paris	France	10	9,780.8	3.3
Istanbul	Turkey	11	8,820.1	16.5
Rome	Italy	12	8,670.7	13.9
Dubai	UAE	13	8,023.0	0.5
Guangzhou	China	14	7,879.6	1.2
Phuket	Thailand	15	7,217.0	14.7
Mecca	Saudi Arabia	16	6,852.9	6.9
Pattaya	Thailand	17	6,564.3	8.4
Taipei	Taiwan	18	6,561.2	24.8
Prague	Czech Republic	19	6,547.7	5.1
Shanghai	China	20	6,539.7	-2.2
Las Vegas	USA	21	6,298.0	5.9
Miami	USA	22	5,987.0	4.5
Barcelona	Spain	23	5,459.1	0.5
Moscow	Russia	24	5,036.2	13.6
Beijing	China	25	5,035.4	-3.2
Los Angeles	USA	26	5,017.0	1.2
Budapest	Hungary	27	4,821.6	12
Vienna	Austria	28	4,328.7	8
Amsterdam	Netherlands	29	4,289.2	2.1
Sofia	Bulgaria	30	4,126.3	-0.4
Madrid	Spain	31	4,111.3	-6
Orlando	USA	32	4,067.0	7.4
Ho Chi Minh City	Vietnam	33	3,923.1	6.5
Lima	Peru	34	3,792.5	29.1
Berlin	Germany	35	3,789.2	5.2
Tokyo	Japan	36	3,754.2	47.1
Warsaw	Poland	37	3,660.3	14.3
Chennai	India	38	3,535.2	11.4
Cairo	Egypt	39	3,500.0	7.7
Nairobi	Kenya	40	3,438.4	8.5
Hangzhou	China	41	3,381.7	10.4
Milan	Italy	42	3,323.7	-0.3
San Francisco	USA	43	3,210.0	3.7
Buenos Aires	Argentina	44	3,166.5	3.3
Venice	Italy	45	3,164.9	0.9
Mexico City	Mexico	46	3,127.3	9.8
Dublin	Ireland	47	3,098.6	-2.1
Seoul	South Korea	48	2,999.9	5
Muğla	Turkey	49	2,981.4	-2.9
Mumbai	India	50	2,977.0	26.7
Denpasar	Indonesia	51	2,956.0	6
Delhi	India	52	2,884.0	6.7
Toronto	Canada	53	2,819.0	3
Zhuhai	China	54	2,736.5	-14.7
St. Petersburg	Russia	55	2,714.6	4.2
Burgas	Bulgaria	56	2,690.0	22.9
Sydney	Australia	57	2,678.0	2
Djerba	Tunisia	58	2,638.4	24.6
Munich	Germany	59	2,622.8	2.7
Johannesburg	South Africa	60	2,620.2	12
Cancún	Mexico	61	2,612.5	4.8
Edirne	Turkey	62	2,536.3	-0.2
Suzhou	China	63	2,530.1	8.8
Bucharest	Romania	64	2,437.0	3.7
Punta Cana	Dominican Republic	65	2,398.5	7
Agra	India	66	2,353.7	12.9
Jaipur	India	67	2,344.4	13.7
Brussels	Belgium	68	2,294.1	-0.5
Nice	France	69	2,242.9	5.1
Chiang Mai	Thailand	70	2,218.7	20
Sharm el Sheikh	Egypt	71	2,200.0	9.7
Lisbon	Portugal	72	2,191.8	1.6
East Province	Saudi Arabia	73	2,156.2	8
Marrakech	Morocco	74	2,101.0	2.4
Jakarta	Indonesia	75	2,098.1	5
Manama	Bahrain	76	2,035.5	9.4
Hanoi	Vietnam	77	2,007.9	10
Honolulu	USA	78	2,004.0	5
Manila	Philippines	79	2,000.4	15.6
Guilin	China	80	1,970.6	19.9
Auckland	New Zealand	81	1,965.4	-6.4
Siem Reap	Cambodia	82	1,932.1	19.9
Sousse	Tunisia	83	1,929.9	27
Amman	Jordan	84	1,917.3	-0.1
Vancouver	Canada	85	1,912.9	1
Abu Dhabi	UAE	86	1,876.0	8.8
Kiev	Ukraine	87	1,874.0	18.6
Doha	Qatar	88	1,867.7	2.4
Florence	Italy	89	1,834.0	0.9
Rio de Janeiro	Brazil	90	1,796.7	6
Melbourne	Australia	91	1,780.0	6.1
Washington DC	USA	92	1,741.0	6.3
Riyadh	Saudi Arabia	93	1,738.9	8
Christchurch	New Zealand	94	1,732.5	-0.1
Frankfurt	Germany	95	1,731.2	2.9
Baku	Azerbaijan	96	1,709.1	7.5
São Paulo	Brazil	97	1,690.0	2.4
Harare	Zimbabwe	98	1,686.5	7.1
Kolkata	India	99	1,637.4	14.4
Nanjing	China	100	1,634.7	8.5