Brand Finance reveals DACH cities rise as attitudes towards their economic standings improve in a new ranking of the world’s 100 best cities
LONDON, 7 November 2024 – Zurich has the world’s strongest and most stable economy, according to the latest Brand Finance Global City Index, the most comprehensive global survey of city perceptions. The DACH region is gaining growing recognition for its strength in Business & Investment, with Zurich ranking 2nd globally for this pillar.
The 2024 results are based on a survey of over 15,000 respondents across 20 countries, offering a detailed look at how the world’s leading city brands are viewed. Respondents were asked to rate 100 cities on Key Performance Indicators: Familiarity, Reputation, and Consideration, indicating how strongly these cities are perceived as places people would want to live, work, study, visit, retire, and invest in. In addition, respondents chose from 45 attributes grouped under seven pillars, including Culture & Heritage or Business & Investment, that they associated with city brands.
Zurich has risen four positions to 11th place in this year’s overall Index of the world’s top 100 city brands, leading the DACH region. The city is highly recognised for its appeal to work both locally and remotely, ranking first in these categories for the second consecutive year. Zurich also ranks highly in terms of lifestyle, ranked 2nd as a city respondents consider living and studying in. Zurich also leads globally in Sustainability & Transport and Governance, due to its low crime, minimal bureaucracy, and high ethical standards. Another Swiss city, Geneva, climbed eight ranks to 15th, strongly perceived for its Governance (2nd) and Sustainability & Transport (3rd) thanks to its emphasis on environmental initiatives and ethical governance.
German cities have made notable gains in this year’s Index. Berlin leads, up three spots to 13th globally, followed by Munich and Frankfurt which now rank 20th and 27th, respectively. Hamburg, however, fails to join this trend, dropping from 21st to 32nd overall. Like their Swiss neighbours, Berlin, Munich, and Frankfurt saw improvements in the Business & Investment pillar, with Frankfurt jumping 17 positions to 10th, Munich rising 17 places to 15th, and Berlin up 10 places to 27th. German cities are especially recognised for their skilled workforce, underscoring their robust, business-friendly environments, with Munich ranking 3rd globally.
Vienna ranks as the world’s 18th best city brand, shining in the Culture & Heritage pillar at 4th globally, and 4th for visitor appeal. Known for its renowned theatres and music venues, Vienna ranks 1st for this attribute, and 2nd for its outstanding cultural festivals, boasting a legacy tied to composers like Mozart and Beethoven, and the iconic Vienna State Opera. Overall, European cities lead the Culture & Heritage pillar, claiming 17 of the top 20 spots, underscoring their rich histories and vibrant cultural scenes.
Marco Casanova, Chairman, Brand Finance Switzerland, commented:
"The DACH region is solidifying its reputation as the powerhouse in the centre of Europe, showcasing remarkable growth across various economic indicators. With cities like Swiss Zurich and Geneva, German Frankfurt and Munich, or Austrian Vienna ascending the ranks across the business and investment pillar, the region is not only exhibiting robust economic stability but also offering a business-friendly environment."
Global Results
London retains its position as the world’s top city brand. The city excels in Familiarity (3rd) and Reputation (3rd), exemplifying its strong global profile and appeal. However, London faces challenges in Consideration (19th), particularly in areas like living, investing, and retiring, with affordability (97th) emerging as a major concern. New York and Paris hold the 2nd and 3rd ranks, respectively. Paris leads in Culture & Heritage, while New York is top for Education & Science. Tokyo has risen to 4th and is perceived as the world's leader in science and technology. Dubai, now 5th globally, is perceived as the world’s most reputable city, and leads for future growth potential and investment appeal.
David Haigh, Chairman and CEO, Brand Finance, commented:
“The 2024 study reveals that familiarity can be a double-edged sword. For example, while London remains the world’s best city brand overall, its perceptions across certain metrics have weakened this year. It is no longer considered the world’s top city to visit – overtaken by Rome, or to study in – where Boston is now top of class. These findings provide valuable insights into the changing perceptions and priorities of residents and visitors, which can help guide decision makers in cities across the world in implementing effective strategies to drive growth.”
With the introduction of regional expansions, including the US City Index launched earlier this year, the report helps city leaders across the world to understand the top 100 global city brands.
For a detailed breakdown of the rankings and insights into the global city brands, visit the full report at www.brandfinance.com/globalcityindex.
Note to Editors
Presented by brand evaluation consultancy Brand Finance, the Brand Finance Global City Index is based on a global survey of over 15,000 members of the public conducted in September 2024 in 20 countries on all continents to measure perceptions of the world’s top 100 city brands.
To arrive at a comprehensive assessment of the city brands in the ranking, alongside measuring Familiarity, the survey asked the respondents about the general Reputation and their personal Consideration of each city as a place to live, work locally, work remotely, study, retire, visit, or invest in. The evaluation of preferences across these seven dimensions was complemented by perceptions of 45 underlying city brand attributes, grouped under seven Pillars (Business & Investment, Liveability, Culture & Heritage, People & Values, Sustainability & Transport, Governance, and Education & Science).
To ensure comparability among the top 100, the Index excludes domestic perceptions about city brands, taking into account those of foreign respondents only. Nevertheless, the domestic perceptions were also measured in the survey and are available for the 20 countries where the research was conducted.
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Disclaimer
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