The first-ever ranking of the world’s lesser-known destinations named “Cities to Watch” has been released by forecasting and analytics firm Oxford Economics in their 2026 Global Cities index. The 28 “emerging stars” of global tourism vary from industrial and tech hubs to glittering state and regional capitals, and centuries-old crossroads. But what they all have in common, according to the report, is the generation of “significant steam” as emblems of global investment that are “regularly outperforming their national economy.”
Europe
Five European cities feature in the ranking, spanning the points of the compass. In the region’s north, Manchester stands out for employment gains, outpacing all other UK cities “for both GDP and productivity growth.” It is hailed for a “thriving cultural scene” based on long-term “investments into sport, the arts, and creative industries.” The city’s football clubs have promoted global brand recognition, and “its music scene has also grown, with the recently opened Co-op Live hosting the 2026 and 2027 BRIT Awards, complementing the existing AO Arena as a major draw.”
In the east, Polish capital Warsaw climbed over 100 places to 61st in this edition of the index. It is praised for its vibrant student scene and expanding middle class, with average household disposable income expected to increase by around 35% in real terms by 2050. Also in the east, Estonia’s Tallinn is described as a “smaller but even more dynamic city, largely driven by its excellence in ICT and tech” that is forecast to benefit from some of “the strongest GDP growth among major EU cities over the next decade.”
In the centre, Eindhoven in the Netherlands is also booming thanks to over 5,000 high-tech companies that form the R&D and advanced manufacturing cluster known as “Brainport Eindhoven.” Mobile workers and digital nomads might take note of its “favourable tax incentives for talented expats” as well as its “high quality of life, with low crime rates, strong transport connectivity, and access to numerous recreational and green spaces.” However, one downside for new arrivals to the city could be pressure on housing.
Housing is also an issue in Europe’s southwest, in France’s Ville Rose, Toulouse. It makes the list of Cities to Watch thanks to the strength of its aerospace sector amid growing defence spending, its low cost of living (compared to Paris), as well as its warmer climate.
North America
Crossing the Atlantic to North America, the wooded state capital of Idaho, Boise, is listed for its tech sector and entrepreneurialism, as well as an “enviable mountain climate” offering “substantial leisure and hospitality” opportunities, “with a high concentration of arts (Ballet Idaho and Opera Idaho), museums, and tourism activities, such as skiing, hiking, and kayaking.”
North Carolina’s Durham has a “business-friendly” location around the renowned Research Triangle and boasts a temperate climate that has attracted migration from more northern US states. Florida’s Jacksonville, San Antonio, Texas, and Edmonton, in Alberta, Canada, also make the list for North America. Jacksonville enjoys a “temperate climate and leisure and hospitality offerings including miles of beaches, wildlife preserves, and water sports.” Similarly, San Antonio serves as a regional tourism hub, with such popular attractions as The Alamo and River Walk lined with numerous restaurants, retail, and hotels, driving strong job gains in the leisure and hospitality sectors.
Latin America
Oxford Economics’ five Latin American cities to watch also span glittery capitals and fast-rising industrial centres. Brasília pairs a monumental, purpose-built setting with a powerful public sector and expanding tech and professional services. Lima combines a skilled workforce with the $3.5 billion Chancay Megaport, a project set to promote Peru’s links with Asia. Medellín’s rise is embodied by Metrocable, the low-emission cable-car network that has connected hillside districts to jobs, providing a low-emission, congestion-free alternative to road-based transport. Monterrey, Mexico’s manufacturing powerhouse, is capitalising on nearshoring and US supply-chain ties, while Santiago’s strong institutions and lively consumer economy support a flourishing financial, technology and professional-services scene.
Asia
Asia’s urban challengers are rapidly redrawing the global economic map too. Kuala Lumpur blends a deep talent pool with competitively priced financial services, while Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam’s business gateway. Shenzhen, China’s tech powerhouse, continues to drive innovation; Bengaluru’s knowledge economy is among the world’s fastest-growing. And in Central Asia, Uzbekistan’s historic Tashkent is surging, partly thanks to its booming construction, finance and business services, and also because of its role as a “Middle Corridor” trade route that connects Europe and Asia, while bypassing Russia.
Africa
Africa’s cities are gaining prominence as populations, workforces and digital adoption grow. Oxford Economics calls Nairobi the “Silicon Savannah,” a fintech leader; Accra is emerging as West Africa’s innovation hub; and Dakar is building strength in professional and scientific services. Luanda is modernising its port and diversifying beyond oil, while Cairo leans on trade links and technology. Cairo is also expected to continue to leverage Egypt’s archaeological wonders, which remain a major tourism asset. In 2026, international visits are set to reach 1.2 million, surpassing pre-Covid-19 levels. New cultural investments will tap into this, notably the new Grand Egyptian Museum. Indeed, over 40% of the touted five million additional jobs over the next 25 years will be across a range of sectors supporting those efforts, including retail, hospitality, and tourism. Together, these five African cities could generate a third of GDP growth among the continent’s indexed cities by 2050, the analysts say.
Middle East
Finally, while the US-Israel war with Iran will cause “substantial declines” in the Middle East in 2026, the Oxford Economics Global Cities Index takes a longer-term view. Between them, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh have attracted more than 8.5 million net-new residents through positive migration in the last 25 years (in contrast to the top five cities—New York, London, Paris, Seattle, and San Francisco—in the overall Global Cities Index). These three are fast “becoming cultural and sporting heavyweights,” as destinations increasingly chosen by international brands, tournaments, events, and partnerships. Like the other cities on the watchlist, their growing economic contribution “can’t be ignored.”
