Canberra

Canberra, Australia, scores 71 on the CIRA Index of tourism resilience, #40 of 309 destinations. 28 of 29 measures come from public sources, with 76% confidence. Every grade below states its value, period and source.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: 71
• OECD: 73
• UN Tourism: 73
• UNDRR: 69

Strongest

• Extreme heat days: 0.8 days a year at or above 35°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Tropical nights: 0 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). At or below 10: grade 4/4.
• Unemployment rate: 2.6 % of the labour force (region figure) (CRJO / economy.id (compiled from ABS Labour Force Survey & Small Area Labour Markets), Q1 2026). At or below 5: grade 4/4.

Weakest

• Dedicated tourism funding: A promotion budget that depends each year on the general budget (ACT Government, 2025–2027). Grade 1/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: Crisis communication only, ad hoc (Tourism Australia & VisitCanberra, 2023–2026). Grade 1/4.
• Tourism intensity: 27.6 visitor nights per resident per year (region figure) (ACT Government (Canberra.com.au) & Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2024). Between 20 and 40: grade 1/4.

Australia in the World Economic Forum Travel & Tourism Development Index

Australia is #4 of 110 countries (5.18 of 7) in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026, which scores countries, not cities. Cities in countries with that WEF score average 69 on the CIRA Index; Canberra is 2 above that.

Every measure, by theme

Demand and seasonality: 75

• Nights in the three busiest months: 30.4 % of annual nights (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: UN Tourism by United Nations World Tourism Organization), 2024, 2025 moving average). Between 30 and 35: grade 3/4. Source
• Domestic share of nights: 72.9 % of nights by residents of the same country (region figure) (ACT Government / VisitCanberra (Tourism Research Australia National & International Visitor Surveys), YE March 2023). At or above 45: grade 4/4. Source
• Largest foreign market: 14 % of international arrivals or nights (region figure) (ACT Government / VisitCanberra (Tourism Research Australia International Visitor Survey), YE March 2023). At or below 15: grade 4/4. Source
• Recovery against 2019: 95 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (region figure) (ACT Government / Tourism Research Australia, 2023). Between 90 and 100: grade 2/4. Source
• Average length of stay: 2.5 nights per visitor (region figure) (ACT Government (Canberra.com.au / VisitCanberra), 2024). Between 2.2 and 2.8: grade 2/4. Source
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 69.5 % average annual occupancy (region figure) (Accommodation Australia / STR Global, 'Hopes for a better year for the accommodation sector', 2024). Between 65 and 75: grade 3/4. Source

Economy and jobs: 100

• Jobs in tourism industries: 5.7 % of employment in accommodation and food services (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research by World Travel & Tourism Council; Travel & Tourism by World Travel & Tourism Council), 2026). At or below 8: grade 4/4. Source
• Unemployment rate: 2.6 % of the labour force (region figure) (CRJO / economy.id (compiled from ABS Labour Force Survey & Small Area Labour Markets), Q1 2026). At or below 5: grade 4/4. Source
• Income per head: 71,934 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). At or above 60,000: grade 4/4. Source
• Economic diversity: 80.2 % of employment outside accommodation, food, retail and transport (region figure) (id.community / Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Canberra Region Joint Organisation (CRJO) Industry Sector of Employment, 2024). At or above 80: grade 4/4. Source

Climate and hazards: 75

• Extreme heat days: 0.8 days a year at or above 35°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4. Source
• Tropical nights: 0 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). At or below 10: grade 4/4. Source
• Flood hazard: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4. Source
• Wildfire and storm hazard: high (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 1/4. Source
• Country disaster risk: 2.4 INFORM Risk index, 0–10 (country figure) (INFORM Risk (European Commission JRC), INFORM Risk Mid 2026, 2026). Between 2 and 3.5: grade 3/4. Source

Water and environment: 75

• Water scarcity: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4. Source
• Wastewater safely treated: 96 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (country figure) (Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) Annual Report 2024–25, 2023–24). At or above 95: grade 4/4. Source
• Municipal waste per resident: 512 kg per resident per year (country figure) (Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), National Waste and Resource Recovery Report 2024, 2022–23). Between 450 and 550: grade 2/4. Source
• Green space: 21.8 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services - Tree canopy cover, 2025). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4. Source

Community and housing: 50

• Tourism intensity: 27.6 visitor nights per resident per year (region figure) (ACT Government (Canberra.com.au) & Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2024). Between 20 and 40: grade 1/4. Source
• Cruise pressure: not measured yet
• Rent growth: 3.2 % change in rents over the last 12 months (CoreLogic / Cotality via OpenAgent, 12 months to August 2026). Between 3 and 6: grade 3/4. Source
• Short-let density: 1.2 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (AirDNA via The Canberra Times / BNBCalc and Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census, May 2026). Between 1 and 2: grade 2/4. Source
• Resident support for tourism: not measured yet

Access and continuity: 67

• Access redundancy: 3 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Canberra Airport & Transport Canberra, 2026). Between 3 and 4: grade 3/4. Source
• Air traffic recovery: not measured yet
• Rail share of intercity access: not measured yet
• Rail traffic recovery: not measured yet
• Largest airline group share: not measured yet
• Air route concentration: not measured yet
• Early warning and emergency plan: An updated city plan with public early warning for heat, flood or fire (ACT Emergency Services Agency (ESA), 2023–2026). Grade 3/4. Source
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: Crisis communication only, ad hoc (Tourism Australia & VisitCanberra, 2023–2026). Grade 1/4. Source
• Government effectiveness: 95.3 World Bank WGI percentile rank, 0–100 (country figure) (World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025). At or above 80: grade 4/4. Source
• Travel advisory: 1 stricter of the US and Canadian government advisory for the country, 1 (normal precautions) to 4 (do not travel) (country figure) (US State Department and Government of Canada travel advisories, 2026-09-29). At or below 1: grade 4/4. Source
• Dedicated tourism funding: A promotion budget that depends each year on the general budget (ACT Government, 2025–2027). Grade 1/4. Source

Compare Canberra

• Brisbane vs Canberra
• Canberra vs Perth
• Canberra vs Sydney
• Canberra vs Melbourne
• Auckland vs Canberra

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