Lilongwe

Lilongwe, Malawi, scores 54 on the CIRA Index of tourism resilience, #214 of 309 destinations. 25 of 29 measures come from public sources, with 68% confidence. Every grade below states its value, period and source.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: 54
• OECD: 52
• UN Tourism: 54
• UNDRR: 43

Strongest

• Extreme heat days: 0.4 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.
• Short-let density: 0 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (AirROI (Lilongwe Airbnb Data 2026) & National Statistical Office of Malawi (2018 Population and Housing Census), 2025–2026). At or below 0.5: grade 4/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 182.5 kg per resident per year (GSGS.network / Journal of Environmental Science, Toxicology and Food Technology, 2023). At or below 350: grade 4/4.

Weakest

• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 20.9 % average annual occupancy (country figure) (Malawi National Statistical Office, Statistical Yearbook 2023 (Table 5.2: Average and Monthly Room and Bed Occupancy Rates for Malawi), 2021). Below 45: grade 0/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: No tourism crisis or recovery plan found (Malawi Nation / Ministry of Tourism, 2020–2025). Grade 0/4.
• Rent growth: 17 % change in rents over the last 12 months (country figure) (Malawi Stock Exchange / MPICO plc Annual Report 2024, 2024). Above 15: grade 0/4.

Malawi in the World Economic Forum Travel & Tourism Development Index

Malawi is #107 of 110 countries (3.08 of 7) in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026, which scores countries, not cities. Cities in countries with that WEF score average 50 on the CIRA Index; Lilongwe is 4 above that.

Every measure, by theme

Demand and seasonality: 60

• Nights in the three busiest months: 42.1 % of annual nights (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: UN Tourism by United Nations World Tourism Organization), 2019, 2020 moving average). Between 40 and 50: grade 1/4. Source
• Domestic share of nights: 93.3 % 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: not measured yet
• Recovery against 2019: 102.3 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (country figure) (Malawi National Planning Commission / Ministry of Tourism, Malawi 2063 First 10-Year Implementation Plan (MIP-1) Annual Progress Report (2023/24) & UN Tourism / World Bank, 2023). Between 100 and 110: grade 3/4. Source
• Average length of stay: 7.6 nights per visitor (country figure) (Malawi Department of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism, 2024). At or above 3.5: grade 4/4. Source
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 20.9 % average annual occupancy (country figure) (Malawi National Statistical Office, Statistical Yearbook 2023 (Table 5.2: Average and Monthly Room and Bed Occupancy Rates for Malawi), 2021). Below 45: grade 0/4. Source

Economy and jobs: 42

• Jobs in tourism industries: 4.4 % 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: 16 % of the labour force (Lilongwe City Council Strategic Plan 2021-2025 (cited in UN-Habitat / Lilongwe CityRAP Report), 2021-2025). Between 12 and 18: grade 1/4. Source
• Income per head: 1,623 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank, International Comparison Program database / TheGlobalEconomy, 2025). Below 15,000: grade 0/4. Source
• Economic diversity: not measured yet

Climate and hazards: 65

• Extreme heat days: 0.4 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: 14.2 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Between 10 and 30: grade 3/4. 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: 4.7 INFORM Risk index, 0–10 (country figure) (INFORM Risk (European Commission JRC), INFORM Risk Mid 2026, 2026). Between 3.5 and 5: grade 2/4. Source

Water and environment: 69

• Water scarcity: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4. Source
• Wastewater safely treated: 6.4 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (country figure) (WHO / UN-Habitat / UN-Water via UN SDG Indicators Database, 2024). Below 50: grade 0/4. Source
• Municipal waste per resident: 182.5 kg per resident per year (GSGS.network / Journal of Environmental Science, Toxicology and Food Technology, 2023). At or below 350: grade 4/4. Source
• Green space: 48 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (PLOS ONE / ResearchGate, 'The spatial heterogeneity of urban green space distribution and configuration in Lilongwe City, Malawi', 2023). At or above 40: grade 4/4. Source

Community and housing: 50

• Tourism intensity: not measured yet
• Cruise pressure: not measured yet
• Rent growth: 17 % change in rents over the last 12 months (country figure) (Malawi Stock Exchange / MPICO plc Annual Report 2024, 2024). Above 15: grade 0/4. Source
• Short-let density: 0 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (AirROI (Lilongwe Airbnb Data 2026) & National Statistical Office of Malawi (2018 Population and Housing Census), 2025–2026). At or below 0.5: grade 4/4. Source
• Resident support for tourism: not measured yet

Access and continuity: 33

• Access redundancy: 1 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) / Airport Developments Limited (ADL), 2024–2026). Between 1 and 2: grade 1/4. 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: A national system only; no city plan found (AgEcon Search / Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA), 2024). Grade 1/4. Source
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: No tourism crisis or recovery plan found (Malawi Nation / Ministry of Tourism, 2020–2025). Grade 0/4. Source
• Government effectiveness: 26.4 World Bank WGI percentile rank, 0–100 (country figure) (World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025). Between 20 and 40: grade 1/4. 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 (Malawi Department of Tourism / Malawi Laws, 2024–2025). Grade 2/4. Source

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