Paris tops 2022 list of the ‘most powerful’ tourism destinations in the world

The French capital of Paris is not merely a city of fun, food, and fashion, but also the city of the most power, at least when it comes to tourism. According to a new index rolled out by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the French city topped the list of the most powerful tourism cities across the world. 

The WTTC, which is a nonprofit travel industry forum headquartered in the United Kingdom, evaluated tourism data of the past year to determine which cities travellers splurged on the most amount of money in 2022, CNN reported. The list was formulated by assessing factors such as hotel rooms and museum tickets, but more importantly, to what extent did governments and businesses invest in the cities from a tourism standpoint. 

Paris, which is set to host the world in the 2024 Summer Olympics, had a tourism total of $35.6 billion as the city continues to sprawl with resources into infrastructure and security ahead of the sports event. Other cities that made it to the list include Orlando- popular for theme parks, Las Vegas- popular for its nightlife, and New York, a bustling city that attracts people from all walks of life. 

Which cities made it to the list? 

Out of the American cities, Orlando secured the highest spot with a tourism total of $31 billion for 2022. The index was topped by Paris, followed by Beijing, Orlando, Shanghai, Las Vegas, New York, Tokyo, Mexico City, London, and Guangzhou. Several Chinese destinations like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou made it to the list, and are speculated to score a higher ranking in the years to come as China continues to spend generously on its tourism to lure in international travellers after a lengthy pandemic hiatus.

The WTTC believes that China will occupy most of the ranks by the year 2032. “Major cities such as London, Paris and New York will remain global powerhouses but over the next few years, Beijing, Shanghai, and Macao will be moving up the list of top city destinations,” said WTTC President & CEO Julia Simpson.