Buenos Aires (i.e. mayor) in 1996; previously, the mayor was directly appointed by the President of the Republic. Buenos Aires is considered an 'alpha city' by the study GaWC5. Buenos Aires' quality of life was ranked 91st in the world, being one of the best in Latin America in 2018. It is the most visited city in South America, and the second-most visited city of Latin America (behind Mexico City). Buenos Aires is a top tourist destination, and is known for its preserved Eclectic European architecture and rich cultural life. Buenos Aires held the 1st Pan American Games in 1951 as well
Tourism in Buenos Aires and 39 apart-hotels; another 298 hostels, bed & breakfasts, vacation rentals and other non-hotel establishments were registered in the city. In all, nearly 27,000 rooms were available for tourism in Buenos Aires, of which about 12,000 belonged to four-star, five-star, or boutique hotels. Establishments of a higher category typically enjoy the city's highest occupation rates. The majority of the hotels are located in the central part of the city, within close proximity to most main tourist attractions. For the traveler desiring more independence and privacy, there is an abundance of furnished apartments for rent. These range from small, low-cost studios