With Christmas right around the corner, many of us are making plans for how we’ll Celebrate New Year’s Eve. But which cities are set to see the most visitors this year?
The travel insurance specialists at InsureandGo have analysed Google searches from the last 12 months, and compared these to searches from last year, to reveal which cities around the world have garnered the most interest for their 2023 New Year’s Eve events.
The Most Up and Coming New Year’s Eve Destinations
| Rank | City | Increase in Searches Compared to 2022 |
| 1 | Dublin | 190% |
| 2 | Istanbul | 175% |
| 3 | Ottawa | 171% |
| 4 | Bangkok | 125% |
| 5 | London | 94% |
| 6 | Mumbai | 90% |
| 7 | Tokyo | 85% |
| 8 | Auckland | 84% |
| 9 | Amsterdam | 83% |
| 10 | Vienna | 81% |
Although New York holds its title as the city attracting the most visitors for its New Year’s Eve festivities, interestingly the Big Apple has seen an 11% decrease in interest this year in comparison to 2022. The researchers also looked at which destinations have seen jumps in popularity this year, to find out which underrated cities might be seeing an influx of new visitors on the 31st of December.
In first place, Ireland’s capital city Dublin has seen the biggest increase in interest over the last 12 months, with searches for New Year’s Eve in the city having very nearly tripled compared to 2022.
Following behind is Istanbul and Ottawa, with 175% and 171% increases in searches in 2023 compared with 2022, respectively. Both capital cities within their countries, travellers in Istanbul can watch dazzling displays of fireworks on the Bosphorus Shore, while in Ottawa visitors can spend their evening at the Scottish-style event known as Hogman-eh! Where fireworks illuminate the skies, and entry is even free.
Other notable destinations that are set to be more popular for NYE this year than last include Thai city Bangkok, where rooftop bars are aplenty, and European city Amsterdam, which is renowned for celebrations that include a dazzling electric firework display, and eating mountains of oliebollen (deep fried dough balls).
The Top 10 Cities To Celebrate New Year’s Eve In
| Rank | City | Country | Average Annual Searches for NYE-Related Terms |
| 1 | New York | United States of America | 319,200 |
| 2 | Toronto | Canada | 194,400 |
| 3 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | 158,400 |
| 3 | London | United Kingdom | 158,400 |
| 5 | Sydney | Australia | 152,280 |
| 6 | Las Vegas | United States of America | 132,000 |
| 7 | San Francisco | United States of America | 129,600 |
| 7 | Manchester | United Kingdom | 129,600 |
| 9 | Washington D.C. | United States of America | 105,600 |
| 10 | Dubai | United Arab Emirates | 102,960 |
From North America to Europe, Oceania and Asia – the world’s most desired NYE cities this year can be found in every corner of the globe.
The city drawing the most interest this year for New Year’s Eve is none other than New York, the city that never sleeps. Home to the iconic Times Square Ball Drop, global searches for NYE in the city have surpassed 319,200 searches in the year 2023 so far.
Securing second place is Toronto. The Canadian city is home to a beautiful array of NYE events, parties and fireworks to round off the year and in 2023 saw over 194,000 searches for those planning to celebrate the clock chiming twelve within its borders.
Completing the top three cities garnering the most interest for 2023’s New Year’s Eve is Amsterdam and London. These two cities, located on the European continent, have captivated tourists worldwide with each city pulling in over 158,000 online searches a year globally for New Year’s Eve related terms.
Wrapping up the top five is Sydney, Australia. The New Year’s Eve fireworks show at Sydney Harbour is among the world’s most spectacular ones and has earned the city over 150,000 searches for those looking to enter the new year with a colourful extravaganza.
Other notable cities in the top 10 include Manchester, another UK city that offers a multitude of fun activities for the night of the 31st January, and Las Vegas, where New Year’s Eve is one of the biggest nights of the year for this party-centric destination.
