A way of connecting and a way of fostering culture
The team at IBTM have crunched the numbers and found out which cities around the world are the ‘most cultural’, helping to narrow down the options for anyone planning an International meeting where culture is at the forefront.
The leading global event for the meetings, incentives, conferences and events industry will actually be focusing on ‘creating culture’ as its 2022 theme. They are looking at how destinations around the world use their unique cultures to inspire and elevate events.
Key Findings
When it comes to UNESCO World Heritage, London took the top spot in the study by offering five sites to explore including the Tower of London and the Royal Botanic Gardens.
For anyone looking to incorporate an unforgettable foodie experience, New York City is a great option considering that the US city is home to over 500 Michelin Guide restaurants, more than any other city in the study. Five of these dining establishments also have the coveted Michelin 3-Star status, impressive.
Tokyo is the city to visit for any teams keen to develop their knowledge outside the four walls of a meeting room, boasting a staggering 923 museum listings on Tripadvisor with everything from digital art to national heritage.
And when it comes to the culture of art, it depends on what type of art you enjoy. Those who enjoy curated art galleries should visit Tokyo, which is home to 484, but those who enjoy the more ‘raw’ side of art should visit New York where there are over 1,000 recognised pieces of street art to discover.
As for getting an essence of a place just by walking its streets, Milan is a great option as the city boasts over 400 architectural buildings listed on Tripadvisor including the impressive Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and Arco della Pace.
Italy and the United States both managed to secure two cities with the top 10 list, with New York in 1st place, Milan in joint 6th, Rome in 8th and San Francisco in 10th.
Paris, France
In second place overall, but the highest in Europe, is the capital of France. Paris scored particularly well for Michelin Guide restaurants, being second to only New York with 435 acclaimed fine-dining establishments, and for the number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Speaking of, Paris offers a number of these recognised sites for visitors to explore including the Château de Versailles and the Banks of the Seine. What’s more, it doesn’t get much more cultural than being home to museums and art galleries that are known around the world.
Despite only ranking in 5th and 6th place respectively for these factors, Paris is home to the Louvre, Musée Picasso, and Musée National d’Art Moderne. As a whole, French culture is most commonly associated with Paris, which is a world-renowned centre of fashion, cuisine, art and architecture so it’s not surprising that the city secured second place.
London, United Kingdom
Rounding up the top three ‘most cultural cities’ is another iconic destination, London. When it comes to UNESCO World Heritage, London took the top spot in the entire study by offering five sites to explore including the Tower of London and the Royal Botanic Gardens.
The British capital city also secured the top spot overall for the number of theatres located there, with London being home to the world-renowned West End and boasting one of the world’s best theatre scenes – ideal for after-hours activities with colleagues!
Its architectural buildings are another cultural factor that helped London secure the bronze medal. From old to new, traditional to modern, gothic to art deco, and many styles in between, the city has many notable buildings to marvel at – 126 listed on Tripadvisor, in fact!
View the full list here.
