Again this year, the international advisory firm Resonance Consultancy has named the world’s best cities. A very special city has received the honorary title. Have you visited some of 2023’s best cities?
Cities are the driving force behind the global economy and emblems of human ingenuity. They are fertile ground for the development, integration and art that define the zeitgeist and the way forward for their countries, regions and the rest of the world.
Every year, Resonance Consultancy celebrates the world’s best pioneering cities.
Resonance is a leading advisor in tourism, real estate and economic development. Resonance is based in Vancouver, Canada. They are particularly respected for their annual report called World’s Best Cities, where they specialize in issues of strategy, branding and communication in cities.
The most comprehensive study of its kind.
Annually, Resonance Consultancy selects and ranks the 100 best cities based on a careful study.
Cities with a population of more than one million are judged based on a combination of statistical performance and qualitative evaluations by locals and visitors in 24 areas grouped into six core categories. These include place, product, programming, people, prosperity and promotion.
Each core category represents a city’s competitive identity.
- Place examines a city’s natural and built environment, e.g. weather, safety, architecture and landmarks.
- Product examines a city’s institutions, attractions and infrastructure, e.g. airport connections, museums, education and professional sports teams.
- Programming describes a city’s arts, culture, entertainment and culinary scene, e.g. shopping, restaurants and nightlife.
- People describe the diversity in the city, e.g. the immigration rate and the level of education.
- Prosperity refers to a city’s employment rate and household income.
- Promotion describes the amount of history, references and recommendations shared online about a city, e.g. Google search results, Google Trends, Facebook check-ins, Instagram Hashtags and TripAdvisor reviews.
Through the core categories, the cities that are most loved by the locals, but also by tourists and business people are identified.
The international media platform Bloomberg regard the original research method used in World’s Best Cities as “the most comprehensive study of its kind”.
Times of crisis affect the big cities
In this year’s report, Resonance recognizes that the world’s major cities are affected by crises. This, despite the corona pandemic, in the long run has less impact on the daily life of the cities.
The pandemic has turned the world upside down. This can be seen, among other things, in New York, San Francisco, Athens, Chicago and Rome, where the population has fallen. This trend contributed to the economic development of small towns.
The economic and humanitarian crises provoked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine obviously influence this year’s report.
According to the Resonance team, no city can be “the best city” if it is part of a country that commits crimes in another sovereign state.
Therefore, Moscow and St. Petersburg this year was removed from the report – two cities that otherwise made up the top 20 last year.
Heart of Europe: Honorable Best City in the World 2023
As something very special this year, Resonance has awarded the Ukrainian capital Kiev the honorary title of the world’s best city 2023.
“The historic Ukrainian capital is the urban beacon of courage and resilience, leading a defiant nation against a murderous aggressor. It is, like the rest of Ukraine, a place of inexhaustible courage in the face of daily tragedy,” Ukrainian journalist Anna Babinets wrote in the city’s description as part of the ranking.
The experts also acknowledge the significant development of Kyiv’s infrastructure over the past decade.
“Kiev is today the heart of Europe. Who continue to fight – for life, for development, for the beauty of the city and the comfort of its inhabitants.” Thus said the mayor of Kyiv, Vitaliy Klitschko, in a comment on the award.
In 2021, Kyiv ranked 87th in Resonance Consultancy’s survey.
Which city is the best in the world in 2023?
In addition to Kiev, London has been named the world’s best city for the seventh year in a row.
London is home to 11 million people, the report said. The British capital is known for its restaurants, food culture, architecture and luxury properties, making it one of the most preferred and loved cities in the world.
Many events and activities took place in London in 2022: Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee, RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Wimbledon among others.
London continues to lead in the Product, People and Promotion categories with the most hashtags on Instagram, Facebook and TripAdvisor reviews. The city has also almost returned to its pre-pandemic capacity.
Paris is the second best city in the world 2023, according to the report, and the leader in terms of the number of places of interest and museums.
New York is the third best city in the world, and has the leading position in the Promotion category.
The top cities rounding out the top 10 in the report are:
- 2023 Honorary World’s Best City: Kiev
- London
- Paris
- New York
- Tokyo
- Dubai
- Barcelona
- Rome
- Madrid
- Singapore
- Amsterdam