Dubai has been ranked 1st regionally and 5th best city in the world in the World’s Best Cities report 2023 by a leading global adviser in tourism, real estate, and economic development.
The Resonance Consultancy ranks global cities—those with a population of one million or more—by combining quantitative performance data with qualitative assessments from residents and visitors in 24 areas divided into six main categories: place, product, programming, prosperity, people, and promotion.
When weather, safety, landmarks, and outdoor activities were taken into account, Dubai came out on top.
Chris Fair, president, and CEO of Resonance Consultancy referred to Dubai’s “torrent of city-building” over the previous 24 months.
The report hailed Dubai as an alluring blend of over-the-top experiences, Arab heritage, and luxury shopping.
“Dubai is a city of superlatives: you can ride the elevator to the top of the world’s tallest building for a bird’s-eye view, and bet on the ponies at the world’s richest horse race,” the report said.
The world’s deepest pool, Dubai Mall, the Burj Khalifa, Museum of the Future, Mohammed Bin Rashid Library, Dubai Creek, The Palm, Ain Dubai, Cityland Mall, and the Aura Skypool—the first and tallest 360-degree infinity pool—are among the landmarks and tourist attractions of Dubai that are highlighted in the report.
The top 10 cities, in order, are London, Paris, New York, Tokyo, Dubai, Barcelona, Rome, Madrid, Singapore, and Amsterdam. These cities also appear in the overall rankings across all categories.
Doha was ranked number 27 and was followed by Abu Dhabi in the rankings. The UAE Capital ranked sixth, whereas the capital of Qatar ranked first in the prosperity index.
“While Dubai has the world’s biggest, tallest, and most expensive things, Abu Dhabi is quietly focusing on heritage and a rich cultural tapestry. It invests in bringing artists and creators as guests for residencies and multi-show dates,” the report mentioned.
Kyiv was chosen as the honorary best city in the world due to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, with the Ukrainian capital being referred to as an “urban beacon of courage and resilience.” Also removed from this year’s report were Moscow and St Petersburg. Last year, both cities placed among the top 20.
Extensive research was done on the rise of cities, the major trends driving their growth, and the elements influencing the perception of urban centers as desirable places to live, work, visit, and invest in a new global reality in order to build a list of the 100 finest cities.