Vietnam's 2 largest cities among world's top 100 destinations for 2024

The rankings are based on an overall city attractiveness score, derived from a comparison of 55 different metrics across six key pillars: economic and business performance, tourism performance, tourism infrastructure, tourism policy and attractiveness, health and safety, and sustainability.

Hanoi and HCMC are Vietnam's two biggest metropolis and home to modern skyscrapers and popular tourist attractions.

As of November, Hanoi welcomed 5.67 million international arrivals, a 36% increase year-on-year, surpassing this year’s target of 5.5 million.

Tourists capture images of a passing train at Hanoi's Train Street, November 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Hoang Giang

HCMC received 5.3 million foreign tourists between January and November, up 16% year-on-year, and achieving nearly 90% of this year’s target.

Paris retained its position as the world’s top city destination for the fourth consecutive year, followed by Madrid in second place, Tokyo, Rome, and Milan rounding out the top five.

The rest of the top 10 includes New York, Amsterdam, Sydney, Singapore, and Barcelona.

The report also revealed that global international arrivals increased by 19% in 2024, driven by strong tourism demand. International tourism spending reached a total of US$1.9 trillion in 2024.

By 2030, the global average spend per arrival is expected to reach $1,264. Between 2024 and 2030, inbound average spending per trip is projected to grow the most in markets such as the Netherlands, China, and Poland, the report states.