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Which Cities Are the World’s Most Attractive Travel Destinations?

 Introducing the Yanolja Attractiveness Index

What makes a city truly irresistible to travelers?

The Yanolja Attractiveness Index, developed through global academic-industry collaboration, offers a fresh perspective on the world’s most captivating cities—based not on tourist counts, but on what people feel and perceive.


Source: Yanolja Research

In the latest rankings, Osaka, Japan claims the top spot as the most attractive global tourism city, followed by Paris, Kyoto, New York, and Seoul.


Source: Yanolja Research


Japan stands out with six cities in the Top 20, showcasing its rich blend of culture, hospitality, and experiential content.

Meanwhile, South Korea shines with Seoul (5th), Jeju (16th), and Busan (23rd) ranked among the top 30.


What Is the Yanolja Attractiveness Index?

The Global Tourism City Attractiveness Index—developed by Yanolja Research, in collaboration with Purdue University CHRIBA and Kyung Hee University Center for H&T Analytics—is a data-driven tool that evaluates how attractive a city is for tourism.

Unlike traditional tourism metrics that focus on visitor numbers or economic outcomes, this index analyzes social media data to assess two key dimensions:

  • Attractiveness (Affective) – how positively tourists feel about a city
  • Reputation (Cognitive) – how well-known and prominent the city is among travelers
By combining these emotional and cognitive evaluations, the index captures the true psychological appeal of a city from a global visitor perspective.


The Theory Behind It

Grounded in well-established academic models, the index draws from the Push-Pull Framework of travel motivation (Dann, 1977; Crompton, 1979) and Destination Image Theory.

Motivation Type Description
Push Factors Internal needs like escaping daily life, seeking self-growth, or relieving stress
Pull Factors External features of the city, such as cultural landmarks, scenery, safety, or convenience


Tourism city attractiveness, therefore, reflects the intersection of personal travel desires and the city’s ability to fulfill them—both emotionally and cognitively.


A Four-Dimensional Structure of Attractiveness

The Yanolja Attractiveness Index measures tourism appeal through four key dimensions:
Dimension Description
1. Urban Aesthetics & Natural Scenery Visual beauty, unique landscapes, flora and fauna
2. Culture & History Historical sites, local traditions, religious landmarks
3. Experiential Tourism Contents Food, shopping, nightlife, festivals, sports, activities
4. Hospitality Friendliness of residents, service quality, immigration experiences

These dimensions are further broken down into sub-categories and keywords, which are used to mine relevant data from platforms like Instagram and Facebook. This allows the index to reflect how tourists actually describe and engage with each city.



Why This Index Matters

The Yanolja Attractiveness Index offers multiple benefits—for academia, policymakers, and the tourism industry alike:

✅ A Holistic Assessment Tool

It evaluates not just infrastructure or attractions, but also how travelers feel about their experiences—something traditional statistics often overlook.

✅ Cross-City Comparisons

With standardized criteria applied to 191 global cities, destinations can benchmark their strengths and identify areas for growth.

✅ Data-Driven Strategy

Tourism boards, DMOs, and city planners can use these insights to develop targeted marketing, allocate resources more effectively, and enhance global competitiveness.

✅ Longitudinal Insights

The index will be updated annually, enabling the tracking of trends and shifts in global tourism appeal over time.



Discover What the World Is Saying About Your City

Tourism is no longer just about where people go—it's about why they choose to go there.

With the Yanolja Attractiveness Index, we move beyond visitor numbers to understand the perceived value and emotional connection travelers have with each city.

Want to explore the full rankings and discover what makes each destination stand out?

👉 See the full results on the official Yanolja Attractiveness Index page

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Location: Seoul, South Korea

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