Global preferences for city destinations have changed, affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

UK-based Euromonitor picked Paris as No. 1 destination for city tours in 2021, based on its new index, comprising six performance pillars, including “tourism policy” and “health and safety.”

Previously before the pandemic, Asian cities, such as Hong Kong and Bangkok, placed higher, with rankings based on the number of international arrivals. In 2021, travelers chose to visit Europe instead, and 8 cities out of the top 10 were from the region. Only New York and Dubai were not.

Dubai placed second with a strong performance in “health and safety” with 98 percent of its population vaccinated, making itself the only city in an emerging market — among the top 10.