In a surprising result for those familiar with the city's reputation, London has been crowned the most welcoming city for tourists in Europe. The ranking comes from eSIM provider Holafly, which assessed 200 cities worldwide based on specific criteria including safety, visa openness, local tourism and information services, and the English proficiency of residents.
While London secured the top spot in Europe, it ranked second overall globally. The city-state of Singapore claimed the number one position worldwide, bolstered by a safety score of 77.7 on Numbeo, a visa openness score of 164 on the Henley Openness Index, and the presence of 41 tourism and information assistance points.
The United Kingdom performed strongly in the report, with Edinburgh also appearing in the top 20 at 11th place. Other European nations with multiple entries in the top 20 include Denmark, represented by Copenhagen in 9th and Aarhus in 10th, and Czechia, which saw Prague take 16th and Brno place 20th.
Despite these European successes, Canada emerged as the most welcoming country overall, with three of its cities—Ottawa (14th), Toronto (18th), and Montreal (19th)—landing in the top 20. The global list of the most welcoming cities is rounded out by Sydney, New York City, Boston, Penang Island, The Hague, Hong Kong, Utrecht, Davao City, Melbourne, and Amsterdam.
