The 2021 Top 100 City Destinations Index has ranked the Dutch capital as the third-best city destination in the world, beating the likes of London, Barcelona, and New York. 

Euromonitor’s Top 100 City Destinations Index

Put together by the research agency Euromonitor International, the annual list of the top 100 city destinations around the world measures the popularity and tourism potential of cities across the globe, in order to provide “a comprehensive and multi-layered analysis of key and emerging city hubs.” The index is designed to “help businesses, tourism organisations and destinations identify cities that are showing strong tourism growth potential.”

Each of the 100 cities ranked as part of the index receives an overall city attractiveness score by comparing 54 different metrics across six key pillars: 

• Economic and Business Performance
• Tourism Performance
• Tourism Infrastructure
• Tourism Policy and Attractiveness
• Health and Safety
• Sustainability

This year saw Paris beat out Dubai to claim the top spot in the ranking, while Amsterdam managed to hold onto a spot in the top three for the third year in a row.

Amsterdam the second-best city destination in Europe

Amsterdam achieved respectable scores across all six categories, nabbing spots in the top-10 rankings for both Economic and Business Performance (sixth) and Tourism Policy and Attractiveness (10th). The city’s overall performance meant it was able to secure the third-place position in the global ranking and claim the second-place spot in the European list. 

“Positive momentum is being driven by improved rates of unemployment and disposable incomes as well as population growth,” the index explains. While Amsterdam achieved its worst score in the Health and Safety category, Euromonitor notes that “safety protocols are still in place for tourists returning to Amsterdam and the city continues to improve its Health and Safety ranking.”

Top 10 city destinations in the world

According to the latest Cities Index, the top city destinations in the world in 2021 are:

1. Paris
2. Dubai
3. Amsterdam 
4. Madrid
5. Rome
6. Berlin
7. New York
8. London
9. Munich
10. Barcelona 

For the full report, visit the Euromonitor International website.