According to the most recent Brand Finance Global City Index, which was made public on Thursday, Dubai has risen four spots to rank fifth out of 100 cities in the world for city brands, behind London, New York, Paris, and Tokyo.
Dubai’s top ranking in the business and investment pillar is equal to its top ranking for reputation. The city has also seen remarkable improvements in the acceptance of working remotely (up from the 24th to the 4th) and locally (up from the 16th to the 8th).
Initiatives like the Dubai Future Foundation help the emirate rank first for future growth potential, making it a hub for innovation and start-ups. Dubai is the best city in the world for investment consideration, further solidifying its position as a top investment destination. It ranks second for its robust and stable economy and third for its attractive personal taxation.
“Dubai’s rise to become the world’s fifth-best city brand is primarily driven by its achievement of ranking first globally for reputation. This enhanced perception underscores the effectiveness of the UAE government’s strategic investments in infrastructure, tourism, and the business ecosystem. The substantial improvements in Dubai’s consideration metrics further highlight the city’s increasing allure as a premier destination for visitors, residents, businesses, and global investors,” said Andrew Campbell, Managing Director, Brand Finance Middle East.
The most recent study, which examined responses from more than 15,000 participants in 20 countries, provided a thorough examination of how people perceive the top city brands in the world.
In order to gauge how strongly respondents thought 100 cities were desirable places to live, work, study, visit, retire, and invest in, they were asked to rate them on familiarity, reputation, and consideration.
Despite moving up eight spots to 24th place, Abu Dhabi maintained its 2023 global ranking at 30. Remarkably, the city is ranked second for investment consideration, up 12 spots from 2023, and ninth globally for remote work consideration, up 15 spots from 2023.
Abu Dhabi scores a stellar five in the business and investment pillar as well, with four points for being a great place for innovations and start-ups and two points for potential future growth. The city’s increasing appeal as a hub for innovation is further evidenced by the fact that it has risen 16 spots to 20 in the world for being seen as a leader in science and technology.