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NEW YORK TOPS 2026 GLOBAL TOURISM CITY ATTRACTIVENESS INDEX

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Yanolja Research Announces U.S. Cities and Asian Destinations Redefine Urban Tourism Appeal

SEOUL, South Korea, July 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Yanolja Research, a global research institute specializing in travel and tourism, today announced the 2026 results of the Yanolja Attractiveness Index, officially titled the Global Tourism City Attractiveness Index, a demand-driven ranking that measures how strongly major tourism cities capture global traveler attention and emotional appeal.

Developed jointly by Yanolja Research, Purdue University’s CHRIBA Institute in the United States and Kyung Hee University’s H&T Analytics Center in Seoul, the index uses global social media data across 14 languages provided by Brandwatch. The released 2026 ranking covers 200 cities and is designed to go beyond conventional supply-side tourism indicators by capturing what travelers actually talk about, remember and emotionally value.

New York Leads Overall; Paris, Osaka, Kyoto and Seoul Complete the Top Five

In the 2026 ranking, New York ranked No. 1 overall, reflecting its rare combination of global visibility and deeply favorable visitor sentiment. Paris ranked No. 2, followed by Osaka at No. 3, Kyoto at No. 4 and Seoul at No. 5. The remainder of the global top 10 includes London (No. 6), Rome (No. 7), Bangkok (No. 8), Okinawa (No. 9) and Chicago (No. 10).

The results show that global tourism appeal is no longer defined only by iconic landmarks or infrastructure scale. Leading cities increasingly succeed when they combine strong cognitive awareness with emotionally satisfying, shareable, and distinctive visitor experiences.

U.S. Cities Demonstrate Exceptional Depth Across the Global Rankings

The United States delivered the broadest upper-tier presence in the 2026 index, with 16 U.S. cities in the global top 50 and 19 in the top 100. Beyond New York’s No. 1 position, Chicago ranked No. 10, Los Angeles No. 13, Miami No. 15, Washington, D.C. No. 18, Boston No. 22, Dallas No. 23, Tampa No. 24, San Francisco No. 26 and Houston No. 28.

Other U.S. cities also performed strongly, including Atlanta (No. 31), Seattle (No. 32), Las Vegas (No. 36), Orlando (No. 45), Philadelphia (No. 46), Denver (No. 50), San Diego (No. 54), Nashville (No. 65) and New Orleans (No. 78). This breadth suggests that the U.S. tourism portfolio is not dependent on a single gateway city, but is supported by a diverse ecosystem of cultural, business, entertainment, leisure and lifestyle destinations.

Asia’s Rise Is Driven by High Emotional Attractiveness

Asian destinations were especially strong on affective attractiveness, the index dimension that captures positive emotion, perceived experience quality and visitor enthusiasm. Japan was the clearest example: Osaka and Kyoto ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in affective attractiveness, while Okinawa, Tokyo, Nagoya, Fukuoka and Yokohama also appeared among the leading global cities.

Korean destinations also showed meaningful global visibility. Seoul ranked No. 5 overall and No. 4 in affective attractiveness, while Busan (No. 42), Jeju (No. 44), Incheon (No. 51) and Daegu (No. 88) were also included in the global top 100. Thailand also performed strongly, with Bangkok ranked No. 8 and Chiang Mai No. 27 overall.

A New Demand-Side Lens for Measuring Tourism City Appeal

Unlike traditional tourism competitiveness measures that emphasize supply-side conditions such as airport access, hotel capacity, policy support or infrastructure, the Global Tourism City Attractiveness Index focuses on the demand side: how travelers perceive, discuss and emotionally evaluate destinations. The framework is built on two complementary pillars:

Cognitive Awareness: measures global buzz volume and destination salience — in other words, whether a city is visible, recognizable and top-of-mind in global travel conversations.

Affective Attractiveness: measures emotional responses and perceived qualitative value — in other words, whether travelers feel a destination is memorable, satisfying and worth recommending.

The model is informed by the Push-Pull Motivation Framework and Destination Image Theory, connecting travelers’ internal motivations with the external attributes that make destinations appealing. The evaluation uses 419 keywords across four core dimensions: urban aesthetics and natural scenery; culture and history; experiential tourism content; and hospitality.

Strategic Value for Cities, DMOs and the Private Sector

The index is designed not only as a ranking, but also as a diagnostic tool. By positioning cities according to awareness/reputation and attractiveness, the framework identifies four strategic profiles: Blockbuster Masterpieces, Hidden Gems, Overpackaged Destinations and Market Entry Required destinations. This enables destination management organizations, governments and tourism businesses to better understand whether they should prioritize brand amplification, experience-quality improvement, product development or more fundamental repositioning.

For policymakers, the index can support more precise resource allocation, city-branding evaluation, and market-specific tourism strategy. For the private sector, it can help identify high-potential destinations, emerging visitor preferences and experience gaps that may not be visible through arrivals or spending data alone.

“The 2026 index shows that the most competitive tourism cities are no longer simply the most visited or most heavily promoted places. They are cities that successfully convert global awareness into emotionally meaningful visitor experiences,” said Dr. SooCheong (Shawn) Jang, Professor at Purdue University and Director of Yanolja Research. “New York’s No. 1 ranking demonstrates the power of combining unmatched global recognition with strong experiential appeal. At the same time, the rise of Asian destinations such as Osaka, Kyoto, Seoul and Okinawa shows that emotional attractiveness is becoming a decisive source of tourism competitiveness.” The comprehensive analysis and rankings for the top 150 cities across all regional tiers can be accessed on the official Yanolja Research website.

https://www.yanolja-research.com/brand/attractiveness/ranking/overall?lang=en

Appendix: 2026 Global Tourism City Attractiveness Index – Selected Rankings

Overall Rank

City

Country

1

New York

USA

2

Paris

France

3

Osaka

Japan

4

Kyoto

Japan

5

Seoul

South Korea

6

London

United Kingdom

7

Rome

Italy

8

Bangkok

Thailand

9

Okinawa

Japan

10

Chicago

USA

13

Los Angeles

USA

15

Miami

USA

18

Washington, D.C.

USA

22

Boston

USA

23

Dallas

USA

24

Tampa

USA

26

San Francisco

USA

28

Houston

USA

31

Atlanta

USA

32

Seattle

USA

36

Las Vegas

USA

45

Orlando

USA

46

Philadelphia

USA

50

Denver

USA

About Yanolja Research

Yanolja Research is a global research institute focused on data-driven analysis and policy insights for the travel, tourism and hospitality industries. Through collaborations with academic and industry partners, Yanolja Research develops evidence-based frameworks to support destination strategy, tourism innovation and industry competitiveness.

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SOURCE Yanolja Research

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Embark and Tavant Partner to Enable AI-Ready Global Capability Centres in India

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The partnership brings together Embark’s end-to-end GCC setup and operations capabilities with Tavant’s AI, data and digital engineering expertise to help enterprises build, scale and transform GCCs in India

BENGALURU, India, Oct. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Embark, a premier, fully integrated service provider dedicated to accelerating the establishment and expansion of Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in India, and Tavant, a leading platform-powered AI transformation specialist, today announced a strategic partnership to help global enterprises design, build, operate and transform GCCs in India.

The partnership combines Embark’s end-to-end GCC expertise—from strategy, entity setup, location and workspace planning to talent, enabling functions and operations—with Tavant’s strengths in data, GenAI, agentic AI, software engineering and enterprise platforms. Together, the companies offer an integrated approach to GCC creation and transformation, aligning business, operational and technology priorities under a single engagement model.

For organisations setting up a new GCC in India, the partnership helps reduce the fragmentation typically associated with establishing a centre. It brings GCC strategy, location, entity setup, workspace, talent and enabling functions together with AI and data readiness, technology pods and AI-enabled engineering, so technology teams can start building capability in parallel with the foundational setup rather than waiting for every element to be in place.

The partnership offers flexible engagement models, from Assisted Build, Build–Operate–Transfer (BOT) and Employer of Record (EOR). This lets enterprises choose the right level of ownership and support at each stage of their India expansion.

For existing GCCs, the collaboration will support transformation through diagnostic assessments, Data & AI Centres of Excellence and embedded technology pods. The focus will be on helping organisations move from project-based delivery to end-to-end product ownership, scale AI initiatives from pilot to production, and build deeper long-term data and AI capabilities.

“Our teams can start building AI and data capability from day one, while Embark runs the operating foundation in parallel. We’ve built and run engineering teams in India for over 25 years, so we know what it takes to turn a centre into a place where products get built, not just supported. For our clients, that means a GCC that is taking AI from pilot to production from the start, not a year down the line,” said Sarvesh Mahesh, CEO, Tavant.

“AI is becoming a foundational capability for the next generation of GCCs, and we believe it needs to be considered from the very beginning of the GCC journey. Our partnership with Tavant brings together Embark’s expertise in building and operating GCCs with Tavant’s strengths in AI, data and digital engineering, enabling enterprises to build more AI-first centres in India. Together, we can help organisations create GCCs that deliver business value from day one, and are ready to scale as AI reshapes how work gets done,” said Aravind Maiya, Co-Founder & CEO, Embark.

By combining GCC infrastructure and operational readiness with technology and AI execution, Embark and Tavant aim to provide a more connected approach to building capability centres that can evolve with changing business priorities.

About Embark:

Established in 2025, Embark is a premier, fully integrated service provider dedicated to accelerating the establishment and expansion of Global Capability Centres (GCCs) in India. Embark simplifies the expansion of global companies in India by serving as a single-source execution partner, providing global organisations everything they need to build their Global Capability Centres, with AI at the core of their design and solution process from the ground up. By integrating practitioner-led expertise with the institutional-grade workplace and infrastructure backing of the Embassy Group – a pioneer in Indian real estate with over three decades of experience – Embark’s comprehensive service suite from Blueprint to Breakthrough encompasses strategy, operations, talent and workplace solutions, under a single accountable model. Through this synergistic approach, Embark empowers global companies to thrive and scale in India’s vibrant ecosystem while maintaining focus on their core innovation mission.

For more details visit https://embarkgrp.com/

About Tavant:

Tavant is a leading Platform-powered AI transformation specialist focused on helping enterprises unlock the power of AI and accelerate enterprise agentic AI automation. Combining deep business expertise, relentless client focus, extraordinary AI, Data and Digital Engineering DNA, and a proprietary Agentic Engineering Platform, Tavant delivers intelligent automation and AI-driven business transformation to global Fortune 500 enterprises. Headquartered and founded in Silicon Valley, Tavant operates globally with offices and development centers in the US, Europe, India, and Japan. For more information, visit tavant.com or follow Tavant on LinkedIn.

 

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New Asia Forum Targets US$30 Billion in Investment into the New Asia at Its Inaugural Edition in Bali

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Under the Patronage of His Excellency Prabowo Subianto, President of the Republic of Indonesia

JAKARTA, Indonesia, Oct. 9, 2026/PRNewswire/ — A new global platform for investment, capital formation and economic partnership will launch 3-4 December in Bali, Indonesia. The New Asia Forum has set a target of US$30 billion in investment into the New Asia at its inaugural edition. The forum will connect long-term capital with the opportunities shaping Asia’s next decade.

Powered by Danantara Indonesia (Indonesia’s sovereign fund) and produced by Richard Attias & Associates, New Asia Forum is being created with a clear ambition: to become the global gateway to the New Asia, connecting long-term capital with the projects, partnerships and policymakers capable of transforming vision into investment.

The world’s economic center of gravity is shifting. A new generation of economies is emerging across the region; increasingly connected, technologically ambitious, investment-driven and capable of financing its own future. Asia-Pacific already generates close to 60% of global economic growth (IMF, 2025). Yet, it attracts far less of its share of long-term international capital. New Asia Forum aims to close that gap.

Unlike traditional conferences, New Asia Forum is designed around transaction readiness, capital deployment and execution. The US$30 billion target will be pursued through a curated pipeline of investment-ready opportunities. Heads of state, ministers, sovereign investors and global CEOs will turn diligence into signed commitments across eight strategic sectors:

1. Strategic Resources and Downstreaming 2. Energy and Power 3. Mobility and Advanced Manufacturing 4. Digital Infrastructure and AI 5. Food and Agribusiness 6. Trade and Connectivity 7. Tourism and Creative Economy 8. Education and Human Capital

New Asia Forum will track commitments and progress across editions, creating an ongoing platform of accountability, partnership and investment.

Rosan Roeslani, Chief Executive Officer of Danantara Indonesia and Minister of Investment to the Republic of Indonesia, said, “New Asia Forum brings long-term global capital closer to the opportunities being created across Indonesia and the wider region. As Indonesia’s sovereign investor and a founding partner of the Forum, Danantara Indonesia is inviting partners together to unlock these opportunities for long-term value. Under the patronage of President Prabowo Subianto, this is Indonesia engaging the world from a position of confidence, ambition, and collaboration.”

“For decades, Asia has been viewed primarily as a destination for global capital. That story is changing,” said Richard Attias, Founder and Chairman of Richard Attias & Associates. “The New Asia will not simply attract capital. It will increasingly create it, direct it and determine where it can have the greatest impact. We are entering one of the most important investment cycles of our generation, and Asia is at its center.”

The inaugural New Asia Forum will be an invitation-only gathering of more than 1,000 leaders, featuring over 100 speakers and over 40 sessions across two days.

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Infinity Power Taps AIKO for 773.5 MWp South African Solar Portfolio, Extending Africa Partnership Beyond 2 GWp

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YIWU, China, Oct. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AIKO will supply its high-power ABC (All Back Contact) solar modules for three utility-scale solar projects in South Africa under an agreement with Infinity Power, the largest African pure-play renewable energy provider. The deal marks the partnership’s first project in South Africa, and pushes their combined project collaboration across Africa past the 2 GWp milestone.

Under the agreement, AIKO will provide high‑efficiency ABC 1,195,136 modules expected to generate more than 1,871 GWh of annual energy for the 773.5 MWp combined portfolio covering three large‑scale Infinity Power projects — Highveld, Onderstepoort Solar 1 (OS1) and Onderstepoort Solar 2 (OS2). Awarded under Bid Window 7 of South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), the projects will operate under planned 20‑year power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Eskom and will be built under two EPC packages — Sterling and Wilson Renewable Energy on Highveld and PowerChina Guizhou Engineering on the OS1 and OS2.

Located in Mpumalanga, South Africa, once operational, the Highveld project will generate clean energy sufficient to power approximately 167,000 homes, while avoiding approximately 660,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually. Onderstepoort Solar 1 and 2 located in the northwest, are expected to power approximately 289,000 homes and avoid more than 1.1 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually, bringing the Infinity Power portfolio’s total estimated annual CO₂ emissions avoided to approximately 1.7 million tonnes, based on public estimates.

Infinity Power was awarded 1.28 GW in solar capacity during this bidding round, the largest allocation among successful bidders in Bid Window 7. As the largest African pure-play renewable energy provider, the company develops, builds and operates large-scale solar and wind projects across the African continent.

Ahmed Zakaria, Director of EPC and Strategic Procurement at Infinity Power, said: “Our decision to partner with AIKO on our South African portfolio based on their capability to meet our technical requirements and reliable delivery commitment we have witnessed across our projects in Egypt. AIKO’s ABC technology delivers the efficiency and execution certainty required to deliver large‑scale projects under the REIPPPP framework, and we look forward to bringing full portfolio into commercial operation.”

AIKO’s ABC modules, AIKO-A645/650-GRH66Dw, were selected on the strength of both performance and execution. With the REIPPPP launched to tackle South Africa’s energy crisis, and tender tariffs falling with each successive round, project economics have become a decisive factor in module selection. The high power output of ABC modules reduces the total module count and balance-of-system (BOS) components such as mounting structures and cabling, lowering overall system costs and keeping projects economically competitive under the auction mechanism. In South Africa’s high-irradiance, high-temperature conditions, the modules’ superior temperature coefficient maintains more stable power output, lifting energy yield across the project’s full lifecycle, with efficiency reaching up to 24.1%. Low degradation rates (≤1% in the first year, and 0.35% annually from years 2 to 30) secure stable generation throughout the 20-year PPA term, enhancing long-term returns and project bankability. Full traceability across module production and delivery, together with a delivery schedule aligned to the two EPC packages, provides further certainty of execution across the three sites.

The agreement marks AIKO’s first collaboration with Infinity Power in South Africa and their third overall collaboration in Africa, following the 258.5 MWp Nefer Benban and 1.2 GWp Nefer Menya projects in Egypt. With cumulative cooperation now exceeding 2 GWp, the partnership continues to expand, underscoring a global benchmark developer’s sustained confidence in the efficiency and reliability of ABC technology, as well as its recognition of AIKO’s supply capabilities and product quality.

About Infinity Power  

Infinity Power, a joint venture between Infinity and Masdar, is the largest African pure-play renewable energy provider. Infinity Power targets power generation projects in Africa through renewable energy sources, namely solar and wind, as well as other technologies such as battery storage, aiming for 10 GW of operational capacity by 2032.

The company has a substantial operational portfolio of approximately 1.3 GW across Egypt, South Africa and Senegal, helping to avoid over 3 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually, alongside 6.3 GW of wind and solar capacity under development, including 3.8 GW in advanced development. For further information about Infinity Power, visit www.weareinfinitypower.com

About AIKO

AIKO is a top-ranked solar technology leader specializing in the research, development, and manufacturing of solar generation products. The company offers solar cells, ABC (All Back Contact) modules, and scenario-based packaged solutions. Guided by the mission of “Leading Humanity into the Carbon-Free Era,” AIKO continues to pursue extreme innovation and cutting-edge technology. For more information, please visit https://aikosolar.com. 

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