The New Best Cities List Is Out—and the Top Spot Didn’t Budge
A new global ranking shows London, New York, and Paris holding their grip on influence, even as Asia-Pacific power centers accelerate.
Photo: Alev Takil
London once again leads the world—at least according to the newest World’s Best Cities ranking from Resonance Consultancy, which puts the U.K. capital in the top slot for the 11th consecutive year. New York lands at No. 2 and Paris at No. 3, reinforcing a familiar hierarchy, but the 2026 list offers new signs of what drives urban desirability and where high-value travel is heading next.
This year’s index leans more heavily into climate resilience, startup ecosystem health, transportation access, and cultural depth. It also blends performance data with perception, including input from more than 21,000 respondents across 30 countries, which means sentiment matters just as much as infrastructure.
London’s continued reign comes amid a boom in upscale hotel inventory and a steady inflow of American buyers snapping up prime real estate as the pound remains favorable. Heathrow and Gatwick are both seeing record passenger numbers, and major cultural and mixed-use developments—from Peninsula London to the revitalized Whitehall district—are changing both visitor flows and demand.
New York’s No. 2 finish reflects a city leaning into large-scale development while tourism remains robust. The JFK redevelopment and congestion pricing rollout are reshaping mobility as new products come online, including major museum expansions and office-to-residential conversions that could unlock new hospitality corridors. Even with political shifts and affordability questions, the city continues to operate at full throttle.
Paris rounds out the top three as the Olympics glow continues into cultural investment, expanded rail connectivity, and major institutional upgrades, such as the Louvre’s multimillion-dollar transformation plan. The city’s bike-friendly pivot and aggressive pedestrianization efforts are also changing how travelers move through its core, a trend that’s increasingly relevant as luxury customers show growing interest in wellness-adjacent, sustainability-minded stays.
Zooming out, the U.S. still boasts the most cities in the Top 100—19 in all—but the report points to a softer global desire to visit American destinations and a perception gap tied to geopolitics and “Brand America” fatigue. Meanwhile, Asia-Pacific’s momentum continues, with Tokyo at No. 4 and Singapore at No. 6, reflecting strong infrastructure investments, hospitality expansion, and culture that resonates deeply with next-gen affluent travelers.
The rankings largely reinforce what’s already visible on the ground: global gateway cities are evolving fast, and the winners are pairing hard assets like airports, rail, and hotels with cultural improvements and meaningful commitments to sustainability. The gravitational pull of London, New York, and Paris remains strong, but the map is shifting at its edges. Smart sellers keep one eye on the classics and the other on the cities rising right behind them.
