U.S. Cities Demonstrate Dominant Appeal in Global Tourism Rankings, Led by New York in Top 4

Yanolja Research Announces Inaugural 'Global Tourism City Attractiveness Index'

SEOUL, South Korea, July 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Yanolja Research, a global research institute specializing in the travel and tourism industry, today announced the inaugural "Yanolja Attractiveness Index" at the '2025 Global Tourism City Attractiveness Evaluation' seminar. This new index objectively evaluates the appeal of major tourism cities worldwide, distinctly from the perspective of global travelers.

Developed jointly by Yanolja Research, Purdue University's CHRIBA Institute in the U.S., and Kyung Hee University's H&T Analytics Center in Seoul, Korea, the index evaluated the attractiveness of 191 tourism cities using global social media data in 14 languages, provided by Brandwatch in the UK. In the 2025 evaluation, Osaka, Japan, rose two ranks from its 3rd place in 2024 to secure the top spot overall, with Kyoto ranking 3rd. Notably, U.S. cities showcased exceptional strength, with New York leading the American contingent by securing a remarkable 4th place globally.

Unparalleled Strength of U.S. Cities in Global Tourism

The 2025 Yanolja Attractiveness Index highlights the profound and diverse appeal of the United States as a global tourism powerhouse. A significant number of U.S. cities received high evaluations, demonstrating their consistent draw for international travelers across a wide range of experiences.

New York led the way at 4th place globally, reinforcing its enduring appeal as a premier destination known for its cultural dynamism and iconic skyline. Washington, D.C. followed at 13th, celebrated for its historical landmarks and national significance, while Los Angeles claimed the 14th position, praised as a global hub for entertainment, creativity, and diversity. Chicago secured 17th place, earning recognition for its architectural grandeur and rich cultural offerings, and Boston, ranked 21st, continued to charm visitors with its blend of American history and modern vibrancy. San Francisco followed at 24th, admired for its unique character, tech innovation, and scenic beauty, while Miami came in at 27th, well-known for its eclectic mix of Latin culture, beaches, and nightlife. Las Vegas maintained its status as a global entertainment capital at 36th, and Seattle, with its thriving tech scene and natural surroundings, secured the 47th position. Rounding out the top 50, Orlando placed 48th, continuing to attract families and theme park enthusiasts from around the world.

Beyond the top 50, other American cities continued to make a strong showing. New Orleans ranked 56th, lauded for its vibrant music, food, and festival scene, while Honolulu secured the 100th spot, remaining a sought-after destination for travelers seeking tropical beauty and island experiences. The widespread presence of U.S. cities across the rankings reaffirms the country's diverse appeal and its enduring strength in the global tourism landscape.

New Metric Evaluates Tourism Cities Through 'Affection' and 'Cognition'

Unlike traditional "tourism competitiveness" evaluations that focus on supply-side factors like transportation, accommodation infrastructure, and policy, the "Yanolja Attractiveness Index" prioritizes measuring a tourism city's "appeal" from the perspective of actual travel consumers. To achieve this, it uses two core pillars: "Tourism City Attractiveness," which indicates how positively a specific tourism city is viewed, and "Tourism City Reputation," which reflects how widely known and discussed it is.

Based on these two pillars, Yanolja Research conducted a comprehensive evaluation by segmenting a tourism city's attractiveness into four key dimensions: Urban Aesthetics and Natural Scenery, Culture and History, Experiential Tourism Contents, Hospitality.

Global Tourism City Attractiveness: Diverse Leaders Emerge

In the 2025 overall rankings, while Japan's Osaka (1st) and Kyoto (3rd) demonstrated strong performance, the global landscape showed diverse regional strengths. Asian cities, including Seoul (5th), Bangkok (7th) and Chiang Mai (20th) from Asia, continued their significant progress. European tourism cities such as Paris (2nd), London (6th), and Rome (8th) continued to exhibit strong brand power, although some traditional favorites like Madrid (29th) and Barcelona (25th) experienced shifts, reflecting evolving global tourism preferences.

Expert Opinions

Commenting on the research findings, Dr. SooCheong Jang, Professor at Purdue University, stated, "The 'Yanolja Attractiveness Index' is the first attempt to analyze a tourism city's 'appeal' factors through the actual voices of tourists, going beyond infrastructure-centric evaluations. The robust performance of cities across diverse regions, including the U.S., Japan, and other Asian nations, demonstrates how dynamically tourist preferences are changing. Moving forward, for tourism cities to lead the global market, discovering and communicating their unique charm will be a core strategy."

Professor Kyu-wan Choi of Kyung Hee University's College of Hotel and Tourism Management added, "Osaka's ascent to #1 proves the power of diverse and engaging experiential content. The robust presence of numerous U.S. cities in the top tiers, alongside other global leaders, showcases the powerful effect of combining unique cultural offerings with modern amenities and natural beauty. Now is the time for strategic consideration to connect this opportunity to sustainable growth and further enhance the unique appeal of each region."

Yanolja Research plans to regularly announce the "Yanolja Attractiveness Index" annually to track global tourism trends and changes in tourism city competitiveness. Detailed results and analysis of the Global Tourism City Attractiveness Index, released on July 2, can be found on the official Yanolja Research website: Yanolja Research Official Website

[Appendix] Global Tourism City Attractiveness Overall Ranking (1^st-10^th & major US cities)