Planning a business trip to the Big Apple? Consider that the bite in the pocket is still deep. New York has defended its crown as the world’s most expensive business travel destination in 2022. The post-pandemic surge in business and tourism travel has boosted costs by 8% compared to the previous year. This is according to the ECA International’s Expensive Cities Ranking Index.
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Travelers to New York pay an average of $796 per day, which includes expenses such as four-star hotels, meals, taxis, and related expenses. But New York is not alone in charging sky-high prices – the United States dominated the global ranking, with Washington DC and San Francisco both making the top five.
The dollar that separates Los Angeles from London
If you’re feeling particularly extravagant but are aiming for Europe, you can consider a trip to Switzerland – Geneva and Zurich also made their mark in the top five most expensive business travel destinations. Although Tel Aviv did not enter the opening five, it stands in sixth place with an average expenditure of $595 per day.
London is in eighth place, with Los Angeles overtaking it by a single dollar, with an average spend of $584 per day. In a slightly different direction, Luanda, which is located in Angola, takes the prize as the most expensive destination in Africa, with an average of 564 dollars in expenses per day – and is one place above Paris, which closes the list of the 10 most expensive cities for business.
Inflation rates have been a major factor in rising travel costs to many places, while a drop in demand following the pandemic has led to more affordable fares in places like China, which until recently was under strict travel restrictions.
And if you are planning a trip to Asia, note that Hong Kong won the title of the most expensive destination on the continent, with an average daily cost of $520 – only $5 more than its arch rival, the financial center Singapore.
Of course, these figures are only averages, and the cost of travel can vary greatly depending on a variety of factors, from the time of year to the type of accommodation and activities you choose. On top of that, as the world continues to navigate the complexities of post-pandemic travel, it’s clear that the industry is undergoing significant changes.
The 10 most expensive destinations according to the ECA International index (average expenditure per person per day):
1. New York ($796)
2. Geneva ($700)
3. Washington, DC ($658)
4. Zurich ($641)
5. San Francisco ($609)
6. Tel Aviv ($595)
7. Los Angeles ($584)
8. London ($583)
9. Luanda ($564)
10. Paris ($557)