Seoul tops Condé Nast Traveler readers' 'Best Big Cities' ranking, ahead of Tokyo

Seoul ranked first in the "Best Big Cities" category of US travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler's 2026 Readers' Choice Awards, announced on October 6 local time, the Seoul city government said on October 8. Outlets reported that it is the first time Seoul has topped the ranking. The city climbed four places from fifth last year. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]

Tokyo, which ranked first in 2024 and 2025, fell to second. Phnom Penh was third, Shanghai fourth and Sydney fifth. Kukmin Ilbo listed Montreal sixth, Paris seventh, Cape Town eighth and Singapore ninth; Korea Economic Daily and Maeil Business also put Paris seventh and Singapore ninth. The awards, in their 39th year, are decided by readers' votes, and a total of 798,867 votes were cast across all categories, including cities, hotels and resorts. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]

According to the reports, Condé Nast Traveler, in an article on Seoul in September last year, highlighted that visitors could experience history and modernity, nature and advanced technology in one city. Kukmin Ilbo and Maeil Business said the magazine cited global interest in K-pop, K-beauty and K-dramas as behind Seoul's rise as a popular destination, and Korea Economic Daily and Maeil Business said it pointed to more than 2,000 years of history and culture behind that popularity. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 6 ]

Seoul also ranked third in the "2026 World's Friendliest Cities" published by Condé Nast Traveler's UK edition, which cited everyday kindness such as restaurant owners explaining dishes and residents giving subway directions. Last month, Time Out named Jongno 3-ga (종로3가) the "2026 world's coolest neighbourhood". Korea Economic Daily and Maeil Business reported that US travel outlet Trazee Travel's "2026 The Trazees", released in August, named Seoul the favourite city of the "global MZ" for a fifth consecutive year. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]

Mayor Oh Se-hoon said the ranking was the result of people around the world recognising the diverse charms Seoul has built, from 2,000 years of history and K-culture to everyday life in hanok and alleys. He said the city would preserve its history while adding new culture and vitality, to become a global tourism city that residents take pride in and that visitors want to stay in longer and return to. [ 1 , 4 , 6 ]

The city plans to expand tourism content built on hanok, historical spaces, alleys and traditional markets, and to add night-time cultural programmes and activities using the Han River and urban green spaces, aiming to lengthen visitors' stays and raise return visits. Maeil Business, citing the city, reported that Seoul received 11.56 million foreign visitors in January to August, a record and 21.6% more than a year earlier. [ 2 , 6 ]