Sofia – the next Barcelona? Europe’s hidden gems revealed
Watch out Barcelona – the Bulgarian capital of Sofia could become one of the new wave of magnetic European cities, along with Lithuania’s Vilnius and Poland’s Krakow.
Together with ‘old Europe’ trading centres such as Lisbon and Antwerp, these ‘hidden gems’ have the innate qualities to attract tourism and business but are underselling their potential, while the UK’s Liverpool and Berlin, Germany, are overplaying theirs, according to new analysis into Europe’s strongest city brands.
The City Brand Barometer, created by Saffron Brand Consultants, is the first study of its kind to rank 72 of Europe’s largest cities based on a comparison of their assets and attractions against the strength of their brands. To support the analysis, Saffron commissioned a YouGov poll of 2,000 consumers to find out what people most want from a city.
The impact of EU enlargement, easier travel, and a rediscovery of regional identity and cultures is intensifying competition among European cities for a share of international tourism, trade and investment. Whether from old or new Europe, how successfully these cities project their assets and attractions could mean the difference between future prosperity and obscurity.
Brand Strength rank – Top 10
1 Paris, France
2 London, UK
3 Barcelona, Spain
3 Berlin, Germany
3 Amsterdam, Neth.
6 Munich, Germany
7 Stockholm, Sweden
8 Prague, Czech Republic
9 Rome, Italy
10 Athens, Greece
Asset Strength rank – Top 10
1 Paris, France
2 London, UK
3 Munich, Germany
3 Barcelona, Spain
5 Amsterdam, Neth.
6 Rome, Italy
7 Vienna, Austria
7 Milan, Italy
9 Madrid, Spain
10 Athens, Greece
By Chitra Mogul
Chitra Mogul
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
In Italy, the Meloni government congratulates itself for its tourism achievements