Paris welcomed over 18 million international visitors in 2025, driven by its strong tourism infrastructure, vibrant culture and focus on sustainability, as per Euromonitor International’s Top 100 City Destinations Index 2025.
As per the index, the reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris was among the key highlights, which drew significant tourist interest.
Paris is followed by Madrid in second place, recognised for its sustainability leadership and urban mobility initiatives. Tokyo holds third place, remaining Asia’s top city destination with its vibrant visitor experience and major sporting events.
Rome secures fourth place, driven by luxury hotel launches and airport expansion, while Milan rounds out the top five, celebrated for its business environment, fashion and design leadership and robust tourism infrastructure.
Asia Pacific surges ahead in international arrivals
International arrivals continued to grow in 2025, led by strong regional performance. Asia Pacific recorded the highest rise at 10%, followed by the Middle East and Africa at 7%. Bangkok topped the list with 30.3 million visitors, followed by Hong Kong, London and Macau.
This momentum was driven by visa relaxations, major infrastructure upgrades and high-profile cultural and sporting events, which strengthened connectivity and enhanced visitor experiences.
Nadejda Popova, global head of loyalty at Euromonitor International, said: “Even amid economic headwinds and geopolitical uncertainty, global travel proved exceptionally resilient in 2025. International arrivals to the top 100 cities climbed 8% to 702 million, highlighting the ability of cities to adapt, innovate and deliver experiences that travellers continue to find irresistible.”
