Macao did not make the cut in a recent ranking of the top 20 friendliest cities in Asia in 2024, published by Preply.
According to the popular online language learning platform, Taipei was the friendliest city, followed by Singapore, Delhi, Seoul, Chennai and Bangkok. Macao’s neighbouring SAR, Hong Kong, managed to earn 16th place on the list.
In the survey, Taipei earned high scores in most of the six key metrics, including acceptance of diversity, where it scored the highest among all the contenders, with a score of 66 out of 100.
In terms of friendliness to foreigners, the city earned a perfect 5 out of 5. Safety-wise, Taipei achieved a score of 84.55 out of 100.
[See more: Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong top list of mainland places for Macao residents]
“As well as welcoming tourists with open arms, Taipei showcases some of Asia’s best street food, boasts convenient public transport systems and has a range of cultural and historical attractions to explore,” Preply said.
A ranking of the top 10 least-friendly cities in Asia was also provided, with Mandalay topping the chart, followed by Riyadh, Jakarta, Karachi, Amman, and Beijing.
Mandalay, the second-largest city in Myanmar, ranked poorly across all metrics, with a visitor return rate of only 5 percent, a visitor acceptance rate of 11 out of 200 and a diversity acceptance score of 22 out of 100. However, it must be pointed out that Myanmar is currently embroiled in a bloody civil conflict, with tourism at a virtual standstill.
While Macao may not have made the list of friendliest Asian cities, it has been recognised for a host of other honours this year, including Asia’s best convention city, a title that it won twice in one month. Macao is also one of the Culture Cities of East Asia for 2025.
