Is there a science behind what makes a city attractive to travellers? According to the latest research, the answer is a resounding yes. A new global ranking has not just looked at where people are travelling to, but which cities are capturing their attention and leaving the strongest emotional impressions.
The Global Tourism City Attractiveness Index for 2026 issued by Yanolja Research, in collaboration with Purdue University and Kyung Hee University, took a deep dive into social media conversations across 14 languages to rank 200 destinations.
