UK’s London retains top spot in Brand Finance Global City Index

UK's London has maintained its position as the world’s leading city brand proceeding from the latest ranking from Brand Finance consulting firm.

The British capital scored 90.9 out of 100 points, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

"London continues to shine as the world’s best city brand thanks to its strong international presence, rich cultural identity, and renowned educational institutions. However, challenges like affordability and perceived bureaucracy, including post-Brexit visa complexities, impact its image. While London ranks high for global significance and strong economy, its scores in liveability suggest room for improvement in how the city is perceived by international audiences. Strengthening these perceptions will be key for London to maintain its global appeal," CEO and Founder of Brand Finance Plc. David Haigh said.

The 2024 results are based on a survey of over 15,000 respondents across 20 countries, providing an in-depth analysis of how the world’s top city brands are perceived. Participants rated 100 cities on three Key Performance Indicators: Familiarity, Reputation, and Consideration, which reflect how attractive these cities are for living, working, studying, visiting, retiring, and investing. Respondents selected from 45 attributes grouped under seven categories, such as Culture & Heritage and Business & Investment, to indicate which qualities they associate with each city's brand.   London has retained its position as the leading global city brand. The city ranks highly in Familiarity (3rd) and Reputation (3rd), underscoring its strong international presence and appeal. However, it faces challenges in Consideration (19th), particularly in areas like living, investing, and retiring, with affordability (97th) emerging as a significant concern.

However, Haigh noted that challenges such as high living costs and the post-Brexit visa issues are impacting its image. The rest of the top three remained unchanged, with New York in second place with 89.8 points, and Paris in third with 87.8 points.

This year, Tokyo and Dubai replaced Los Angeles and Sydney in the top five. The ranking also highlighted the dominance of European cities in the "Culture and Heritage" subcategory, with 17 out of the top 20 spots held by European cities, including the entire top five: Paris, Rome, London, Vienna, and Milan. The ranking was based on a survey of over 15,000 people across 20 countries.

By Naila Huseynova