MAll of the world’s major cities have seen a significant decline in competitiveness during the COVID-19 pandemic as governments have tightened border restrictions and enforced severe social distancing restrictions, according to the Global Power City Index (GPCI) 2021.
It remains to be seen if, in the post-pandemic world of work, these global centers will retain their ability to attract top-tier workers.But
Global City of Power Index 2021— prepared by the Institute for Urban Strategies of the Mori Memorial Foundation in Tokyo — found that most major cities have adapted to work-from-home and hybrid work trends.
Peter Dastan, a researcher at the Institute for Urban Strategies, says that while international travel continues to be difficult due to COVID-related restrictions, many cities have begun easing social distancing measures as COVID-19 shots rise.Some cities have also begun requiring proof of vaccination to attend large events, eat at restaurants, or use public transport.
Dastan said Wednesday’s Power City index for this year is useful for comparing how cities have been affected by COVID-19.“The form or nature of urban attraction may change, but its value in attracting new business and talent will remain,” he says.
read more: Here are the world’s greatest places in 2021
For example, Hong Kong, which has ranked in the top 10 every year for the past seven years, has dropped to 13th from ninth in 2020.
weeks of mandatory hotel quarantine for travelers.The Asian financial center also showed the largest decline in the number of air passengers – 88%.
According to the Global Power City Index, London is still the most attractive city, but its overall score has declined, and the authors of the report attribute the decline to both the pandemic and Brexit, which has hampered its economy and global accessibility.“The fact that all other European cities have improved their economic performance suggests that the UK exit from the EU is starting to have an impact, allowing other European cities to start catching up with London,” the institute said in a statement.
Tokyo has improved its overall results, thanks in large part to the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as improved operating flexibility like Japan.
adapts to working from home.
The Global Power City Index evaluates and ranks global cities by their “magnetism” using 70 indicators across six categories: economy, research and development, cultural engagement, livability, environment and accessibility.
In the 48 cities assessed this year, the study found that affordability was hit hard; compared to the year before the start of the global pandemic, the frequency of international flights between these cities has decreased by almost 50%.
But the Institute for Urban Strategies reported some positive developments in 48 cities, despite fewer people moving between them — more than half of them saw an increase in coworking spaces and reduced working hours.
Here are the top 10 cities in the world according to the Global Power City Index:
– London
– NY
– Tokyo
– Paris
– Singapore
– Amsterdam
– Berlin
– Seoul
– Madrid
– Shanghai
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