Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, scores 64 on the CIRA Index of tourism resilience, #105 of 309 destinations. 26 of 29 measures come from public sources, with 77% confidence. Every grade below states its value, period and source.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: 64
• OECD: 61
• UN Tourism: 73
• UNDRR: 59

Strongest

• Recovery against 2019: 119.3 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Tourism Statistics in Brief 2024 & HVS Research / Tourism Malaysia, 2024). At or above 110: grade 4/4.
• Rent growth: -10.2 % change in rents over the last 12 months (IQI Malaysia and NAPIC, Malaysia Home Rental Index Report, Q4 2024). At or below 3: grade 4/4.
• Water scarcity: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.

Weakest

• Largest foreign market: 45.2 % of international arrivals or nights (country figure) (Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Tourism Statistics in Brief 2024, 2024). Above 40: grade 0/4.
• Short-let density: 4.1 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (AirDNA & Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) Census, August 2026). Above 4: grade 0/4.
• Tropical nights: 365.2 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Above 100: grade 0/4.

Malaysia in the World Economic Forum Travel & Tourism Development Index

Malaysia is #26 of 110 countries (4.5 of 7) in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026, which scores countries, not cities. Cities in countries with that WEF score average 63 on the CIRA Index; Kuala Lumpur is 1 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: 44.6 % of nights by residents of the same country (Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Tourism Statistics in Brief 2024, 2024). Between 35 and 45: grade 3/4. Source
• Largest foreign market: 45.2 % of international arrivals or nights (country figure) (Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Tourism Statistics in Brief 2024, 2024). Above 40: grade 0/4. Source
• Recovery against 2019: 119.3 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Tourism Statistics in Brief 2024 & HVS Research / Tourism Malaysia, 2024). At or above 110: grade 4/4. Source
• Average length of stay: 2.7 nights per visitor (Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), Domestic Tourism Survey (States) 2023, 2023). Between 2.2 and 2.8: grade 2/4. Source
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 62.6 % average annual occupancy (Tourism Malaysia, Strategic Planning Division, Malaysia Tourism Statistics in Brief 2024, 2024). Between 55 and 65: grade 2/4. Source

Economy and jobs: 75

• Jobs in tourism industries: not measured yet
• Unemployment rate: 3.8 % of the labour force (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4. Source
• Income per head: 41,498 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). Between 30,000 and 45,000: grade 2/4. Source
• Economic diversity: not measured yet

Climate and hazards: 50

• Extreme heat days: 10.8 days a year at or above 35°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Between 5 and 15: grade 3/4. Source
• Tropical nights: 365.2 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Above 100: grade 0/4. Source
• Flood hazard: high (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 1/4. Source
• Wildfire and storm hazard: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4. Source
• Country disaster risk: 3.2 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: 81

• Water scarcity: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4. Source
• Wastewater safely treated: 90.6 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (country figure) (United Nations Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam, Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation (Indicator 6.3.1), 2024). Between 85 and 95: grade 3/4. Source
• Municipal waste per resident: 427.1 kg per resident per year (country figure) (Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) / International Trade Administration, 2024). Between 350 and 450: grade 3/4. Source
• Green space: 32 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (Husqvarna Urban Green Space Index (HUGSI), 2023). Between 30 and 40: grade 3/4. Source

Community and housing: 50

• Tourism intensity: 10.7 visitor nights per resident per year (Tourism Malaysia (Malaysia Tourism Statistics in Brief 2024) & Department of Statistics Malaysia (Current Population Estimates 2024), 2024). Between 10 and 20: grade 2/4. Source
• Cruise pressure: not measured yet
• Rent growth: -10.2 % change in rents over the last 12 months (IQI Malaysia and NAPIC, Malaysia Home Rental Index Report, Q4 2024). At or below 3: grade 4/4. Source
• Short-let density: 4.1 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (AirDNA & Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) Census, August 2026). Above 4: grade 0/4. Source
• Resident support for tourism: not measured yet

Access and continuity: 67

• Access redundancy: 3 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (metro figure) (Ministry of Transport Malaysia / Land Public Transport Agency (APAD), 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 (Department of Irrigation and Drainage (JPS) Malaysia / Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) Climate Action Plan 2050, 2024–2026). Grade 3/4. Source
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: Crisis communication only, ad hoc (Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) Malaysia, 2024). Grade 1/4. Source
• Government effectiveness: 79.2 World Bank WGI percentile rank, 0–100 (country figure) (World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025). Between 60 and 80: grade 3/4. 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 dedicated source such as a tourist tax or levy (Royal Malaysian Customs Department / Laws of Malaysia, 2024–2025). Grade 2/4. Source

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