After two consecutive years in the top 50, Brussels has now slipped down in the rankings of best cities in the world, compiled by the tourism and real estate communications company, Resonance.
Out of the top 100 cities, Brussels was ranked the 56th best city, 19 spots lower than last year. Belgium's capital fell just behind Dallas, Calgary and Austin, in North America. Leading the rankings was London (1st), followed by New York (2nd) and Paris (3rd). Brazil's Rio de Janeiro took the last spot on the list this year, right behind Toulouse and Nantes in France.
Despite ranking lower, the report's authors complimented the city's transportation services, historic landmarks, and redevelopment projects.
This year's report was created in collaboration with Ipsos, a market research company. It focused on three main criteria: Liveability, Lovability, and Prosperity. Liveability looked into the quality of the "natural and built environments", considering aspects such as rent, existing landmarks, and air quality. Lovability looked into activities, and cultural and dining experiences. Prosperity looked into factors including education, the GDP, and unemployment.
Grand Place. Credit: Belga/Benoit Doppagne.
Brussels' historic square, the Grand Place, was highlighted as "a testament to the architectural prowess of a city." But the liveability score also benefited from more recent projects, including repurposing the Gare Maritime to host a food market, or developing the Grand Hospice into a public park.
The city's "international population" which contributes to the cultural landscape of the city, was also highlighted by Resonance.
Notably, Brussels ranked 13th globally for airport connectivity.
This year's 'World's Best Cities' report marks the 10th edition of Resonance's annual list. According to Ipsos' Jason McGrath, the report shows an optimistic future for life in cities worldwide, in spite of socio-economic hardships: "Despite the news stories touting the decline of large cities since the start of the pandemic, economic and demographic data actually shows that many cities around the globe are rebounding," he said.
