New York City has been ranked the world's top destination for literary tourism, a designation driven by its dense network of bookstores, high-profile festivals and the enduring draw of its libraries and literary settings.
How the ranking was determined
The ranking, released by travel eSIM provider Holafly, evaluated 25 destinations known for literary associations — from writers' birthplaces to famous book settings and historic libraries. For each location, the study used Google Places to count bookstores and literary festivals and examined search interest trends to estimate public demand.
New York City topped the list, edging out longtime literary rivals including London and Melbourne. Holafly reported that the city has more than 400 bookstores, hosts five book festivals each year and attracts more than 187,000 monthly searches related to bookstores, libraries, festivals and literary landmarks.
Why New York stands out
The city's appeal for book lovers rests on several measurable and intangible assets. On the measurable side are the bookstores clustered in neighborhoods across the five boroughs, from major independent sellers to university presses and niche shops. The city also hosts multiple festivals that draw authors, publishers and readers.
On the institutional side, New York is home to the largest public library system in the United States. The New York Public Library system logged more than 17 million visitors across 92 locations in a year, anchored by the iconic Rose Main Reading Room and the lion statues near Bryant Park.
There is also a narrative draw: New York City is the setting for a vast number of books spanning eras and genres. The metropolis appears in classics such as The Great Gatsby and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and in contemporary series that have broadened the city's appeal to younger readers.
What the ranking lists
Holafly published a 25-place list of destinations it judged most appealing for literary tourism. The top 15 on that list were:
- New York, New York
- London, England
- Melbourne, Australia
- Tokyo, Japan
- Sydney, Australia
- Stratford-upon-Avon, England
- Cartagena, Colombia
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Paris, France
- Dublin, Ireland
- Prague, Czech Republic
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Bath, England
- Oxford, England
- Lisbon, Portugal
| Rank | Destination |
|---|---|
| 1 | New York, New York |
| 2 | London, England |
| 3 | Melbourne, Australia |
| 4 | Tokyo, Japan |
| 5 | Sydney, Australia |
Local impact and what it means for readers and visitors
The ranking affirms a trend cultural organizers and booksellers have seen for years: readers travel for tangible connections to the books they love. For New York that can mean a weekend itinerary of rare-book rooms, independent bookstores, author talks and visits to locations made famous by fiction.
For local bookstores and cultural institutions, the designation could translate into increased tourism and event attendance. Independent booksellers, many of which operate on thin margins, often depend on festivals and author events to attract new customers. Public institutions such as the New York Public Library may see renewed interest in exhibitions, research services and public programming tied to literary tourism.
From a practical standpoint, visitors planning literary-focused trips should note that offerings vary widely by neighborhood and season. Book festivals typically run on fixed annual schedules and may require advance registration for certain events. Libraries and special collections often request appointments for rare or archival materials.
Local residents also play a role: neighborhood bookstores and municipal libraries rely on community support through purchases, memberships and volunteerism to maintain programming that attracts both locals and tourists.
While the Holafly ranking is based on quantifiable measures like bookstore counts and search interest, the city's literary reputation is also rooted in less measurable factors: a long history of publishing, a dense network of writers and readers, and the way New York itself appears as character and setting across generations of literature.
For readers and travelers, the ranking is an invitation to explore those layers—both the institutions and the stories that have made New York a global center for literary life.
