Ekurhuleni

Ekurhuleni, South Africa, scores 67 on the CIRA Index of tourism resilience, #84 of 309 destinations. 26 of 29 measures come from public sources, with 74% confidence. Every grade below states its value, period and source.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: 67
• OECD: 63
• UN Tourism: 64
• UNDRR: 58

Strongest

• Extreme heat days: 0 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: 0.4 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.
• Short-let density: 0.1 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (AirDNA & City of Ekurhuleni / Stats SA General Household Survey, 2024–2026). At or below 0.5: grade 4/4.

Weakest

• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 43.4 % average annual occupancy (country figure) (Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), Tourist Accommodation (P6410), February 2024). Below 45: grade 0/4.
• Largest foreign market: 42.8 % of international arrivals or nights (region figure) (South African Tourism, Tourism Performance Report (January – December 2025), 2025). Above 40: grade 0/4.
• Unemployment rate: 33.4 % of the labour force (metro figure) (City of Ekurhuleni, CoE 2026/2027 Amended Integrated Development Plan (citing Statistics South Africa QLFS), Q2 2025). Above 18: grade 0/4.

South Africa in the World Economic Forum Travel & Tourism Development Index

South Africa is #61 of 110 countries (3.99 of 7) in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026, which scores countries, not cities. Cities in countries with that WEF score average 58 on the CIRA Index; Ekurhuleni is 9 above that.

Every measure, by theme

Demand and seasonality: 63

• Nights in the three busiest months: 29 % of annual nights (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: UN Tourism by United Nations World Tourism Organization), 2024, 2025 moving average). At or below 30: grade 4/4. Source
• Domestic share of nights: 73.5 % of nights by residents of the same country (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 above 45: grade 4/4. Source
• Largest foreign market: 42.8 % of international arrivals or nights (region figure) (South African Tourism, Tourism Performance Report (January – December 2025), 2025). Above 40: grade 0/4. Source
• Recovery against 2019: 102.6 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (country figure) (Statistics South Africa / South African Tourism, 2025). Between 100 and 110: grade 3/4. Source
• Average length of stay: 15.1 nights per visitor (region figure) (South African Tourism, Tourism Performance Report, 2024). At or above 3.5: grade 4/4. Source
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 43.4 % average annual occupancy (country figure) (Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), Tourist Accommodation (P6410), February 2024). Below 45: grade 0/4. Source

Economy and jobs: 50

• Jobs in tourism industries: 6.4 % 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: 33.4 % of the labour force (metro figure) (City of Ekurhuleni, CoE 2026/2027 Amended Integrated Development Plan (citing Statistics South Africa QLFS), Q2 2025). Above 18: grade 0/4. Source
• Income per head: 15,906 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). Between 15,000 and 30,000: grade 1/4. Source
• Economic diversity: 79 % of employment outside accommodation, food, retail and transport (metro figure) (Municipalities of South Africa / City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality Overview, 2021). Between 72 and 80: grade 3/4. Source

Climate and hazards: 65

• Extreme heat days: 0 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: 0.4 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: 5.2 INFORM Risk index, 0–10 (country figure) (INFORM Risk (European Commission JRC), INFORM Risk Mid 2026, 2026). Between 5 and 6.5: grade 1/4. Source

Water and environment: 67

• Water scarcity: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4. Source
• Wastewater safely treated: 88.1 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (City of Ekurhuleni, Sustainable Development Goals Baseline Assessment Report, 2024/25). Between 85 and 95: grade 3/4. Source
• Municipal waste per resident: 398 kg per resident per year (country figure) (Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment / UNFCCC South Africa's 5th Biennial Update Report, 2020). Between 350 and 450: grade 3/4. Source
• Green space: not measured yet

Community and housing: 88

• Tourism intensity: not measured yet
• Cruise pressure: not measured yet
• Rent growth: 3.2 % change in rents over the last 12 months (region figure) (PayProp / TPN Credit Bureau via Property Professional, 2025/2026). Between 3 and 6: grade 3/4. Source
• Short-let density: 0.1 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (AirDNA & City of Ekurhuleni / Stats SA General Household Survey, 2024–2026). At or below 0.5: grade 4/4. Source
• Resident support for tourism: not measured yet

Access and continuity: 54

• Access redundancy: 3 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (metro figure) (City of Ekurhuleni, Spatial Profile and Aerotropolis Master Plan, 2024). 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 (City of Ekurhuleni Disaster Management Framework, 2023). Grade 3/4. Source
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: Crisis communication only, ad hoc (Bedfordview Edenvale News / City of Ekurhuleni, 2023). Grade 1/4. Source
• Government effectiveness: 45.8 World Bank WGI percentile rank, 0–100 (country figure) (World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025). Between 40 and 60: grade 2/4. Source
• Travel advisory: 2 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). Between 1 and 2: grade 3/4. Source
• Dedicated tourism funding: A promotion budget that depends each year on the general budget (City of Ekurhuleni Draft Medium Term Revenue and Expenditure Framework (MTREF), 2024–2026). Grade 1/4. Source

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