Istanbul

Istanbul, Turkey, scores 56 on the CIRA Index of tourism resilience, #198 of 309 destinations. 26 of 29 measures come from public sources, with 75% confidence. Every grade below states its value, period and source.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: 56
• OECD: 55
• UN Tourism: 58
• UNDRR: 49

Strongest

• Extreme heat days: 2.8 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.
• Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (State Airports Authority (DHMİ), TCDD Tasimacilik, Galataport Istanbul, General Directorate of Highways (KGM), 2026). At or above 4: grade 4/4.
• Largest foreign market: 10.7 % of international arrivals or nights (region figure) (İstanbul İl Kültür ve Turizm Müdürlüğü, Turizm İstatistikleri Raporu, 2024). At or below 15: grade 4/4.

Weakest

• Rent growth: 34.5 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye (TCMB), New Tenant Rent Index, August 2025 – August 2026). Above 15: grade 0/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: Crisis communication only, ad hoc (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), 2025). Grade 1/4.
• 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.

Türkiye in the World Economic Forum Travel & Tourism Development Index

Türkiye is #36 of 110 countries (4.37 of 7) in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026, which scores countries, not cities. Cities in countries with that WEF score average 62 on the CIRA Index; Istanbul is 6 below that.

Every measure, by theme

Demand and seasonality: 50

• Nights in the three busiest months: 38.3 % of annual nights (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: UN Tourism by United Nations World Tourism Organization), 2024, 2025 moving average). Between 35 and 40: grade 2/4. Source
• Domestic share of nights: 24.8 % of nights by residents of the same country (region figure) (T.C. Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı / İstanbul İl Kültür ve Turizm Müdürlüğü, Turizm İstatistikleri Raporu (Ağustos 2025), 2024). Between 15 and 25: grade 1/4. Source
• Largest foreign market: 10.7 % of international arrivals or nights (region figure) (İstanbul İl Kültür ve Turizm Müdürlüğü, Turizm İstatistikleri Raporu, 2024). At or below 15: grade 4/4. Source
• Recovery against 2019: not measured yet
• Average length of stay: 2.3 nights per visitor (region figure) (Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism (İstanbul İl Kültür ve Turizm Müdürlüğü), Turizm İstatistikleri Raporu, 2023). Between 2.2 and 2.8: grade 2/4. Source
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 52.8 % average annual occupancy (region figure) (Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism (İstanbul İl Kültür ve Turizm Müdürlüğü), Turizm İstatistikleri Raporu, 2023). Between 45 and 55: grade 1/4. Source

Economy and jobs: 67

• Jobs in tourism industries: 6.3 % 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: 8.5 % of the labour force (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). Between 8 and 12: grade 2/4. Source
• Income per head: 37,301 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank / International Comparison Program, 2025). Between 30,000 and 45,000: grade 2/4. Source
• Economic diversity: not measured yet

Climate and hazards: 45

• Extreme heat days: 2.8 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: 59.8 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Between 30 and 60: grade 2/4. Source
• Flood hazard: high (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 1/4. 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: 50

• Water scarcity: high (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 1/4. Source
• Wastewater safely treated: 78.3 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (country figure) (TurkStat via Türkiye Today, 'Türkiye’s water use, wastewater output continue to rise, TurkStat report shows', 2024). Between 70 and 85: grade 2/4. Source
• Municipal waste per resident: 425.2 kg per resident per year (metro figure) (İSTAÇ / Waste Management Association (WMA), 'How a city of 20 million people manages waste: Istanbul's experience', 2023). Between 350 and 450: grade 3/4. Source
• Green space: 27 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (Husqvarna Urban Green Space Index (HUGSI), 2024). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4. Source

Community and housing: 58

• Tourism intensity: 2 visitor nights per resident per year (region figure) (İstanbul İl Kültür ve Turizm Müdürlüğü & TÜİK, 2024). At or below 5: grade 4/4. Source
• Cruise pressure: not measured yet
• Rent growth: 34.5 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye (TCMB), New Tenant Rent Index, August 2025 – August 2026). Above 15: grade 0/4. Source
• Short-let density: 0.6 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (Inside Airbnb (Istanbul overview) and TÜİK (Bina ve Konut Nitelikleri Araştırması), 2024–2025). Between 0.5 and 1: grade 3/4. Source
• Resident support for tourism: not measured yet

Access and continuity: 63

• Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (State Airports Authority (DHMİ), TCDD Tasimacilik, Galataport Istanbul, General Directorate of Highways (KGM), 2026). At or above 4: grade 4/4. 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 (Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) Disaster Coordination Center (AKOM) & AFAD, 2025). Grade 3/4. Source
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: Crisis communication only, ad hoc (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), 2025). Grade 1/4. Source
• Government effectiveness: 47.2 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 dedicated source such as a tourist tax or levy (Official Gazette of the Republic of Türkiye / Ministry of Treasury and Finance, 2023–2026). Grade 2/4. Source

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