Dubai is top-of-the-class in the Middle East…

Dubai continues to position itself as a key player on the world stage, achieving its highest ever ranking on the Global Power City Index. Now ranked 17th on the influential global list, Dubai is the only city in the Middle East to be named in the top 20.

The Global Power City Index accesses 40 major cities on six factors including economy, research and development, cultural interaction, liveability, environment and accessibility.

According to the report’s authors, the Global Power City Index uses these metrics to determine “their ‘magnetism,’ or their comprehensive power to attract people, capital, and enterprises from around the world.”

While Dubai achieved a ranking of 17th overall, it ranked higher for cultural interaction (sixth) and accessibility (ninth).

Cultural interaction includes things such as the number of tourist attractions and events (we’re certainly not short of those), while accessibility covers everything from connectivity with the rest of the world, to commuting times and transport infrastructure.

London and New York maintain their positions at the top of the list, and the top five remains unchanged for the past five years.

Here’s the top 20 destinations in the Global Power City Index

  1. London
  2. New York
  3. Tokyo
  4. Paris
  5. Singapore
  6. Amsterdam
  7. Berlin
  8. Seoul
  9. Hong Kong
  10. Shanghai
  11. Sydney
  12. Los Angeles
  13. Madrid
  14. Melbourne
  15. Beijing
  16. Vienna
  17. Dubai
  18. Toronto
  19. Copenhagen
  20. Zurich

Dubai on the global stage

Dubai continues to shine on the global stage. In November, the UAE was ranked in the top 10 for world’s most influential cities. In October, Dubai was named the 12th best destination in the world, in the TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards, and was named one of the top 10 cities to visit in 2020, according to Lonely Planet.

It was also rated the sixth best city in the world in this January report (and the best city in the Middle East), and the world’s second best city for driving.

In the KnightFrank’s City Wellbeing Index, released in March, Dubai was named the best city to live in the Middle East and Africa, and placed 15th in the world.