The Most Powerful City in the World Revealed in New Rankings

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) published a new ranking at the beginning of the year, revealing the world’s most powerful city. Plenty of things were taken into consideration to draw up the list, from contributions to tourism to employment and even travelers’ spending habits. The city is located in Europe and has always been a prominent travel destination. Which is it? We’re talking about Paris, of course!

What Makes Paris the World’s Power Center

In the past few years, restrictions on traveling made many of the world’s most sought-after destinations obsolete. But In 2022, with borders being reopened, Paris emerged as a top tourist destination yet again. In the past year alone, tourism contributed $36 billion to France’s GDP, or about 3.5% of the city’s economy.

Experts believe that by 2032, Beijing will top the ranking of most powerful city in the world. However, at present, the city has a tourism sector worth roughly $33 billion. That number is expected to rise to more than $77 billion in the next ten years. Currently, China has dropped its strict restrictions policy. However, there are still a lot of things to consider before embarking on a holiday there.

Other Powerful Cities on the List

As WTTC president and CEO Julia Simpson said in a statement, many of Europe’s cities are still global powerhouses. Over the next decades, however, powerful cities like Macau and Beijing will not just move up the list, but they could actually become more desirable holiday destinations than New York, London, or Paris.

In the USA, Orlando took third place in the ranking, with a tourism sector worth over $31 billion in 2022. Las Vegas was another popular destination that got on the list, as it came as number five in the ranking. International travelers also favored Dubai and Doha. Macau and Amsterdam were also some of the most popular cities among international travelers.