Seoul ranked 10th most attractive travel destination by Euromonitor International

Seoul has been named the world’s 10th most attractive travel destination, according to a report released Thursday. Global data analytics firm Euromonitor International ranked Seoul No. 10 in its “Top 100 City Destinations Index” list.

Panoramic image of Seoul downtown cityscape illuminated with lights and N Seoul Tower in central Seoul. [GETTY IMAGES BANK]

Seoul has been named the world’s 10th most attractive travel destination, according to a report released Thursday.

Global data analytics firm Euromonitor International ranked Seoul No. 10 in its “Top 100 City Destinations Index” list, which evaluates cities based on indicators including tourist arrivals and tourism infrastructure, CNN reported Thursday.

Seoul had dropped to 24th in 2018 after ranking 16th in 2016, but began climbing again — reaching 14th in 2023 and 12th in 2024 — before landing in the top 10 this year.

France’s Paris topped the list for the fifth consecutive year. CNN attributed the city’s strong performance to a surge in tourists following the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral and major sporting events such as UEFA Champions League matches.

Spain’s Madrid came in second, followed by Tokyo in third — the highest among Asian cities. Tokyo plans to double its passenger-handling capacity by 2039 through the construction of a third runway at Narita International Airport and the expansion of its second runway.

A graphic shows the world’s 10 most attractive travel destinations released by global data analytics firm Euromonitor International on Dec. 4. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Italy’s Rome and Milan ranked fourth and fifth, respectively. In the United States, New York was the only city to make the top 10. Los Angeles rose from 18th in 2024 to 13th this year, while Orlando and Florida cities also climbed in the rankings.

Amsterdam ranked seventh, Barcelona eighth and Singapore ninth. London, which fell out of the top 10 in 2024, continued its downward trend and slipped to 18th this year. CNN reported that although London ranked fourth in tourism infrastructure, it lagged in tourism policy, safety and sustainability.

Meanwhile, the city with the most international visitors in 2025 was Bangkok, which is estimated to have attracted 30.3 million tourists. It was followed by Hong Kong with 23.2 million, London with 22.7 million and Macau with 20.4 million.

BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]