New York Overtakes Seoul, Rome and Other Cities as It Becomes One of the World’s Most Instagrammable Cities Despite Falling Behind Bangkok and London in Visitor Numbers

Written By: Tuhin Sarkar

Tuhin Sarkar

Tuhin Sarkar is a Senior Journalist at Travel and Tour World with more than 10 years of experience in travel and tourism journalism. A post-graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication from Jadavpur University, he combines strong research, industry knowledge and storytelling expertise to produce engaging, insightful and impactful travel news and fascinating feature stories.

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July 24, 2026 5:48 PM

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New York overtakes Seoul, Rome, Tokyo and more cities and this American city shatters global travel expectations as one of the world’s most Instagrammable cities. Despite falling behind Bangkok and London in visitor numbers, its digital influence continues to soar.

New York once again shatters global travel expectations by proving that visitor numbers are no longer the only measure of tourism success. Although the city is falling behind Bangkok and London in visitor numbers, it has firmly established itself as one of the world’s most Instagrammable cities. As travellers increasingly seek visually striking experiences, New York continues to dominate social media feeds with its iconic skyline, famous landmarks and vibrant neighbourhoods. Consequently, the city remains a dream destination for millions worldwide. Moreover, its growing digital influence demonstrates that online visibility now plays a powerful role in shaping modern travel decisions and global tourism trends.

Why Is New York One of the World’s Most Instagrammable Cities?

New York City continues to reinforce its position as one of the world’s most influential travel destinations, not only through international arrivals but also through its exceptional performance across social media. While global tourism rankings traditionally focus on visitor numbers, new research suggests that digital influence is increasingly shaping how travellers choose and experience destinations.

According to a new analysis by PlayersTime, New York ranks among the world’s leading cities for online travel inspiration, highlighting a growing divide between destinations that attract the highest number of visitors and those that dominate Instagram and TikTok feeds.

The study introduces a bespoke Instagrammability Score, designed to measure how cities perform across online travel conversations. The methodology combines global monthly Google search demand analysed through Ahrefs Keyword Explorer with hashtag volumes collected from Instagram and TikTok. More than 240 destinations, including cities, landmarks and unusual locations, were assessed, with Instagram receiving additional weighting because of its continued influence on travel inspiration.

How Does New York Compare with the World’s Most Visited Cities?

Despite welcoming approximately 16.5 million international visitors, New York remains among the world’s leading tourism destinations, ranking behind Bangkok, London, Istanbul, Dubai, Paris and Singapore in international arrivals.

The world’s ten most visited cities based on international arrivals are:

• Bangkok – 30.3 million
• London – 22.7 million
• Istanbul – 19.7 million
• Dubai – 19.5 million
• Paris – 18.3 million
• Singapore – 16.8 million
• New York City – 16.5 million
• Seoul – 16.2 million
• Tokyo – 15.9 million
• Rome – 15.5 million

While New York does not top the visitor rankings, its global reputation extends far beyond arrival statistics. The city’s instantly recognisable skyline, iconic attractions and constant presence in films, television, fashion and popular culture continue to make it one of the most photographed and shared destinations worldwide.

What Makes New York a Digital Travel Icon?

Unlike many destinations that depend largely on tourist arrivals, New York enjoys year-round digital visibility thanks to its cultural significance.

Landmarks including Times Square, Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Empire State Building consistently generate millions of photographs and videos across Instagram and TikTok. Each neighbourhood offers distinctive visual experiences, from SoHo’s cast-iron architecture and colourful street art in Brooklyn to the bright lights of Broadway and panoramic rooftop views across Manhattan.

This diversity enables visitors to create highly personalised travel content, making New York appealing to a wide range of audiences, including leisure travellers, luxury visitors, solo explorers, families, photographers and content creators.

The city’s continuous stream of festivals, sporting events, fashion weeks, concerts and seasonal celebrations also ensures fresh content is constantly being produced and shared online.

Why Are Social Media Rankings Becoming Increasingly Important for Tourism?

The PlayersTime report highlights a significant evolution in destination marketing.

Historically, tourism success was measured almost exclusively through visitor arrivals and hotel occupancy. Today, online visibility has become another powerful indicator of destination influence.

Travellers increasingly discover destinations through short-form videos, influencer recommendations and viral photography rather than traditional brochures or travel agencies. A city’s ability to generate social media engagement can influence future travel decisions months before visitors begin booking flights or accommodation.

According to the research, Dubai perfectly illustrates this trend. Although it welcomes fewer international visitors than Bangkok, London and Istanbul, Dubai achieved a perfect Instagrammability Score of 100 after generating approximately 190.2 million Instagram and TikTok posts, making it the world’s most Instagrammable city.

Meanwhile, Bangkok, despite welcoming the highest number of international visitors at 30.3 million, ranked only twelfth for Instagrammability with a score of 31.52, supported by around 37.4 million social media posts and approximately 906,000 monthly Google searches.

London demonstrates that both measures can align successfully. It ranks second globally for international arrivals while also securing the second-highest Instagrammability Score of 88.60, supported by 192.2 million Instagram and TikTok posts.

What Does This Mean for New York’s Tourism Future?

For New York, the findings reinforce the city’s exceptional ability to remain globally relevant beyond traditional tourism metrics.

Although international arrivals remain an essential measure of tourism performance, digital engagement increasingly reflects long-term destination appeal. Every image shared from Central Park in autumn, every skyline photograph captured from Top of the Rock and every video recorded in Times Square contributes to maintaining New York’s position in the global travel conversation.

The city’s balance of historic landmarks, modern architecture, diverse neighbourhoods, entertainment, gastronomy and cultural experiences ensures it continues attracting both first-time visitors and repeat travellers while simultaneously inspiring millions who have yet to visit.

As travel planning becomes increasingly driven by visual storytelling, destinations with strong social media appeal are likely to enjoy greater long-term visibility and stronger visitor interest.

Silvana Vladimirova, Data Analyst at PlayersTime, said the difference between visitor numbers and online visibility reflects a broader transformation in travel behaviour. Rather than measuring only physical arrivals, social media increasingly captures aspiration, with destinations becoming symbols of lifestyle, identity and personal experiences people want to share.

The primary cause behind New York’s exceptional online popularity is its unmatched combination of iconic landmarks, cultural diversity, entertainment and instantly recognisable cityscape. The answer lies in changing traveller behaviour, where Instagram and TikTok increasingly influence holiday planning more than conventional tourism rankings. Travellers now seek destinations that deliver memorable visual experiences alongside authentic cultural moments. The reason New York continues to outperform many cities digitally, despite falling behind Bangkok and London in visitor numbers, is that it represents aspiration, creativity and global culture. Its constant presence across films, fashion, music and social media keeps the city permanently in travellers’ minds.

For New York, that combination of global recognition, cultural influence and endless visual appeal ensures it remains not only one of the world’s leading tourism cities but also one of its most enduring digital travel icons.

New York’s remarkable performance highlights how global tourism is entering a new era where digital influence complements traditional visitor statistics. While Bangkok continues to lead international arrivals and London remains one of the busiest tourism destinations in the world, New York has successfully strengthened its reputation through constant visibility across Instagram and TikTok. This shift reflects changing traveller behaviour, where inspiration often begins online before any flight is booked.

The city’s globally recognised attractions, cultural diversity, entertainment scene and instantly identifiable skyline continue to encourage millions of travellers and content creators to capture and share their experiences. Every photograph of Times Square, every sunset over the Manhattan skyline and every walk through Central Park contributes to reinforcing New York’s worldwide appeal.

At the same time, tourism organisations are increasingly recognising that social media engagement has become an important indicator of destination competitiveness. A city that consistently generates online conversations can influence future travel demand, attract younger audiences and maintain year-round visibility even during seasonal fluctuations.

For New York, this combination of strong international tourism, cultural significance and exceptional digital popularity positions it among the world’s most influential travel destinations. Although it may not currently welcome as many international visitors as Bangkok or London, its ability to inspire millions through social platforms ensures its global relevance remains stronger than ever. As visual storytelling continues to shape travel choices, New York’s enduring appeal is likely to keep attracting both visitors and online audiences for years to come.