Paris is considered the world’s most powerful city destination for a variety of reasons, including employment, the travel industry’s contribution to GDP, traveller spending and more, in a new report by the World Travel and Tourism Council.
The City of Light’s travel industry was worth nearly $36 billion in 2022, contributing that amount to the city’s gross domestic product. It’s forecast to grow to $49 billion by 2032.
The same report did however note that the city will likely cede its spot of first place to Beijing over the next decade. The Chinese economic and tourist industry currently has a travel industry worth $33 billion but is expected to reach $77 billion by 2032.
“Major cities such as London, Paris and New York will remain global powerhouses but over the next few years, Beijing, Shanghai, and Macau will be moving up the list of top city destinations,” said Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO. “Tourists will always have favourite cities that they will return to, but as other countries prioritize Travel & Tourism, we are going to see new and emerging destinations challenging the traditional favourites.”
The report was conducted together with Oxford Economics and sponsored by Visa.
