Bangkok is the most visited city in the world.

A group of international tourists are taking check-in photos from above at a hotel in Bangkok. Photo: Reuters .

According to data analysis firm Euromonitor International, Bangkok (Thailand) continues to maintain its leading position in international arrivals this year, with an estimated 30.3 million arrivals. This achievement affirms Bangkok's position as a leading city in terms of tourism policy and attractiveness.

The Thai capital remains a top destination thanks to its unique cultural and culinary appeal, vibrant 24-hour lifestyle, and constant efforts to reinvent itself. Bangkok constantly introduces new tourism products, from art neighborhoods, unique cafes, rooftop bars to local cultural experiences renewed to suit the tastes of young people.

Meanwhile, the City of Light, Paris (France), was named the world's most attractive city for the fifth consecutive year. The reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral and the large number of fans flocking to Paris after PSG's first Champions League title created a boom year for tourism in Paris.

Paris scored highly thanks to its effective tourism policy and well-invested infrastructure, according to the report. Europe continues to dominate the rankings with six cities in the top 10: Madrid (ranked 2nd), Rome (ranked 4th), Milan (ranked 5th), Amsterdam (ranked 7th) and Barcelona (ranked 8th).

The scene inside Notre Dame Cathedral after the historic fire. Photo: Reuters .

In contrast, London (UK) continued to fall in the rankings, from 13th place last year to 18th this year, falling between Hong Kong (ranked 17th) and Kyoto (ranked 19th). Despite having good tourism infrastructure (ranked 4th globally), London was rated low in tourism policy, safety and sustainability.

The top 10 most attractive cities in the world in 2025 are Paris, Madrid, Tokyo, Rome, Milan, New York, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Singapore, Seoul.

Tokyo (Japan) not only attracts tourists but also ranks 3rd globally in terms of tourism infrastructure. The city is boosting investment in Narita Airport with plans to build a third runway and extend the second runway to double capacity by 2039.

New York remains the only US city in the top 10, at number 6. Los Angeles rose five places to number 13. Orlando, while not among the leaders in international arrivals, ranked number 1 in the world for tourism performance thanks to strong domestic demand. The opening of the Epic Universe theme park at Universal Orlando Resort in May, along with major upgrades at SeaWorld and Disney World, was a major boost. The city is also hosting six matches of this year's FIFA Club World Cup.

The Asia-Pacific region has 5 cities in the top 10 cities that receive the most international visitors in the world , showing a clear recovery after the tourism recovery period. Hong Kong ranked 2nd with 23.2 million visitors, London ranked 3rd (22.7 million) and Macao - "China's Las Vegas" - held the 4th position (20.4 million), Istanbul followed with 19.7 million visitors. Some other cities also appeared in the top 10 are Dubai (19.5 million), Mecca (8.7 million), Antalya (18.6 million), Paris (18.3 million), Kuala Lumpur (17.3 million).

A group of tourists from China take photos in front of Wat Arun temple in Bangkok, Thailand, November 21, 2024. Photo: Reuters.

Euromonitor International’s report highlights that destinations are shifting from volume to value. Cities want to attract visitors who stay longer, spend more and behave more sustainably with the local environment and culture.

“Security concerns, rapid growth in visitor numbers, overtourism and inflationary pressures” are prompting many destinations to change their entrance fees and accelerate the adoption of electronic travel authorization systems, Euromonitor said. This trend is expected to have a lasting impact on the attractiveness of cities.

The UK and the US have already increased their entry fees in 2025, while the EU is set to launch the European Travel Authorisation Scheme (ETIAS) with higher fees next year. Japan is also considering increasing visa fees and introducing a new electronic authorisation system around 2028.

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