What makes a city the 'best' can also build tourism

Europe’s Best Cities report has been published since 2023, and every year London has topped

the list. It is the least surprising aspect of this year's edition. My hometown is still the

city that the rest of Europe in various ways relates to. This year, London also tops both

the report's index for “prosperity” and “lovability”, ranks second in “livability” and first in

areas such as nightlife and education level. The report's description of the city as Europe's “capital

of capitals” is apt.

But the first place is not the only thing worth noting.

The ambition this year has been to balance how cities are perceived with how they actually

perform. Resonance Consultancy, which is behind the report, describes the ranking as an

attempt to capture which cities succeed in attracting workforce, companies - and visitors.

There is a tendency to treat tourism, investments, the labour market, and urban development

as separate issues. But in practice, they increasingly merge. A city that wants to be truly

competitive must be relevant to the entrepreneur, the student, the investor, and

The visitor at the same time. This is also how Resonance describes the development: Europe's cities are increasingly becoming the arenas where economic strength, cultural attractiveness, and international relevance converge. The Fehmarn Belt connection and the expansion of Copenhagen Airport, for example, will significantly reshape accessibility and travel patterns in southern Sweden, according to a new report from Malmö City, Visit Skåne, and Visit Halland.

London continues to be so strong, not because the city is perfect, but because it gathers an unusually large amount of capacity in one place. Hickory Global Partners recently named the British capital the most popular for business travel outside the USA. International visitors spent 18.9 billion euros in the city during 2024, Heathrow broke records, airport infrastructure continues to expand, and there are clear goals to further increase both investments and visitor spending by 2030. It is an urban ecosystem where trade, education, real estate, international visitors, and global visibility reinforce each other.

reinforce each other.

And London does not stand alone. Paris and Berlin on the podium is expected, but also

Copenhagen and Stockholm in the top ten says something about the qualities that carry weight in

today's Europe. Copenhagen ranks ninth overall and stands out for cycling, walkability and

health, while Kastrup is being expanded and the city strengthens its offer around innovation

and accessibility. Stockholm is tenth overall, seventh in 'prosperity' and ranks high for

education level and labour force participation, while the city grows through investments

in new districts and hotel projects.

For the travel industry, this is important for a simple reason: the cities that succeed in attracting

companies, investments and labour are often also those that build the strongest demand for

flights, hotels, meetings and international visits. This year's ranking is a good indication of which

are creating the strongest conditions for future travel.