Paris (#4), following a drop in score after the 2015 terrorist attacks, received improved scores in “Number of Foreign Visitors” and “Number of Murders.” Competition between Paris and Tokyo to boost urban power is anticipated as the two cities prepare to host the Olympic Games in 20, respectively. Tokyo scored well in “Attractiveness of Dining Options,” while “Number of Museums” and “Nightlife Options” were low, indicating a need for more attractive tourist elements. Although Beijing (#24) overtook Tokyo due to improvement in “Political, Economic and Business Risk,” Tokyo’s Cultural Interaction scores have increased, as the Olympic Games are coming soon. Tokyo (#3), despite a drop, remained in third. New York (#2) kept first in the Economy and Research & Development categories, earning high scores for “Nominal GDP” and “Number of Researchers.” Both “Availability of Skilled Human Resources,” and “Number of Foreign Residents” under Cultural Interaction, showed falling trends due to human talent shifting to other cities. Nevertheless, the city still possesses superior strengths overall, with 12 of its 16 indicators in Cultural Interaction placing in the top 5. London (#1), marked a decrease in “Nominal GDP” and “World’s Top 500 Companies,” perhaps due to confusion surrounding the Brexit negotiations. Noticeable effects on GPCI 2019 scores included Beijing and Shanghai’s sluggish “GDP Growth Rates” and London’s falling number of “World’s Top 500 Companies.” Hong Kong will likely feel the effects of its political unrest in the GPCI 2020. Paris continued to move forward following its successful bid in 2017 to host the 2024 Olympic Games, overcoming a previous downtrend following the city’s 2015 terrorist attack.Ī large number of challenging events occurred or continued to occur in 2019, such as U.S.-China trade friction, the UK’s intended withdrawal from the EU and protests in Hong Kong.

Although the scores of New York, Tokyo and Paris all decreased for their own reasons, the degree of Tokyo’s fall widened its gap with New York, although the gap between Tokyo and Paris narrowed. Amidst increasing opacity in the global economy and rising awareness of environmental issues, London saw its comprehensive score fall after eight years of holding onto the top position in the GPCI.

Global power city index 2019