Business destinations

InterNations, a global association of expatriates, has published its 2022 list of the best cities in the world in which to settle, with many surprises in store. Mexico City ranks 3rd among the most recommended cities. Conversely, Paris ranks 48th out of 50, just ahead of Frankfurt and Johannesburg.

As a metropolis in the Grand Est region and one of the three capitals of the European Union, Strasbourg wants to set an example of a city where business travel and MICE are totally compatible with an ecological approach. So far, it has succeeded, notably with the brand new Exhibition Centre, whose construction criteria clearly demonstrate the sustainable, economic, aesthetic and urban ambitions of the Strasbourg Eurometropolis.

Tel Aviv is undergoing a renaissance. The normalisation of relations between Israel and its Gulf neighbours and the authorisation for El Al planes to fly over Saudi Arabia herald a role as a hub between North America, Europe and Asia. This will also benefit the hotel industry, which is already benefiting from Tel Aviv's positive image as a contemporary Mediterranean metropolis...

Istanbul is repositioning itself as one of Europe's new metropolises for creativity and the art industry. New districts are springing up along the Bosphorus. The two most emblematic development projects are the Galataport complex around the cruise port and now the Tersane-Istanbul district. They place Istanbul in the league of metropolises that intend to make their mark in the creative and arts sectors.

Mandarin Oriental in 2021, JW Marriott and Radisson in 2022, Peninsula, Mandarin Oriental again and potentially Rixos Tersane in 2023: these prestigious hotels join other prestigious establishments such as Four Seasons, Six Senses and Kempinski in Istanbul. One top-of-the-range opening follows another on the banks of the Bosphorus, reflecting the appeal of this metropolis at the crossroads of civilisations.

Air connections, accommodation, good food and cultural addresses: here are some practical tips for enjoying a break from the hustle and bustle during a business trip to Istanbul.

While Hong Kong's new Chief Executive, John Lee, is talking about reducing the quarantine for travellers to five days in the territory, Macao and Shenzhen are closing down more or less strictly to contain a wave of new cases. China's "Zero Covid" strategy continues to destabilise local economies.

Travelling to Qatar on business during the Football World Cup is likely to prove tricky. Exorbitant prices and scarcity of accommodation, flight cancellations and restrictions of all kinds: this is likely to be a source of confusion for many business travellers. Especially if you're not a football fan...

Florida, Dubai, Istanbul, Nara and Toronto have also been recognised as culinary paradises by the Michelin Guide teams. All these destinations will be added to a list of more than 35 guides around the world.

Unsurprisingly, consulting firm ECA International has named Geneva the most expensive city in Europe. More surprisingly, Hong Kong remains the most expensive city in the world for expatriates. And this despite the fact that it has been virtually sealed off from the outside world since 2020...

Denmark's second-largest city, Aarhus has everything you could wish for in a business metropolis: fine hotels, a lively city centre with restaurants and shops, numerous museums and a leading research and high-tech centre with Denmark's most famous university. All bathed in the spirit of 'Hygge', that feeling of well-being that is so positive... and so Danish!

New York is making a comeback in Europe, and particularly in France, Europe's second biggest market. More than half a million French visitors are expected this year. Business travellers will still be missing out, but New York is saying it loud and clear: "It's Time for New York City", the slogan of its new campaign...

Renowned for its trade fairs and congresses, Bologna, Italy's business city par excellence, is reinventing itself. Local authorities are now selling the city's image as a subtle balance between business and leisure. It's a strategy that's working well for urban tourism.

Statista recently published its list of the best business cities in Africa, taken from a more comprehensive report covering cities worldwide. Among the top 10 is Cairo, judged to be the best business city on the continent.

Faced with the slow agony applied to Hong Kong as a destination over the last two years, the local government finally seems to be considering loosening its grip on the southern Chinese metropolis a little, given the failure of its 'Covid Zero' policy.

Gothenburg is easily accessible from all over Europe, with Sweden's second-largest international airport. For those staying in the city centre, all the major sights are within easy reach on foot or by tram. As are museums, department stores, restaurants and the Haga district, a paradise of bars, trendy clubs and design boutiques...

As Sweden's second largest city with over 600,000 inhabitants, Göteborg's prosperity might seem to be woven in Stockholm's shadow. But this is not the case. The metropolis in western Sweden is one of those cities where hedonism and economic efficiency go hand in hand. Göteborg is intensely immersed in the future of the European economy. It combines technological advances, sustainability and humanism. It's a city worth discovering if you want to anticipate what European cities will bring to the rest of the planet...

Euratlantique to the south, Bassins à Flot to the north, emerging alternative locations such as the Bastide-Niel eco-neighbourhood: Bordeaux is expanding its business districts in all directions.

Despite a decline in 2020 after years of expansion, hotel chains in Poland are preparing to resume their expansion in 2022 and 2023, by speeding up their development in Warsaw but also on the Baltic Coast. These are the findings of a recent report by hotel consultants Horwath HTL, which analysed the Polish hotel market.

Even stricter confinement rules have just been approved by Hong Kong's executive. This confirms the desire of the local government - and therefore of Beijing - to disconnect the city even further from the outside world. And to reduce its autonomy.