Mecca

Mecca, Saudi Arabia, scores 60 on the CIRA Index of tourism resilience, #140 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: 60
• OECD: 66
• UN Tourism: 64
• UNDRR: 69

Travel advisory at level 3 (reconsider or avoid non-essential travel): the CIRA score is capped at 60. Without the cap: 65.

Strongest

• Early warning and emergency plan: An updated, tested plan that names visitors and tourism operators, with warnings in several languages (Saudi Civil Defence / National Early Warning Platform, 2026). Grade 4/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A plan tested in an exercise or a real event, with lessons published (Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah / Preprints - Mass Gathering Medicine and Crisis Management Review, 2024–2025). Grade 4/4.
• Average length of stay: 4.4 nights per visitor (region figure) (General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), Tourism Establishments Statistics Q4 2025, Q4 2025). At or above 3.5: grade 4/4.

Weakest

• Tropical nights: 286.8 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.
• Extreme heat days: 213.8 days a year at or above 35°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Above 60: grade 0/4.
• Travel advisory: 3 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 2.5 and 3: grade 1/4.

Saudi Arabia in the World Economic Forum Travel & Tourism Development Index

Saudi Arabia is #29 of 110 countries (4.45 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; Mecca is 2 below that.

Every measure, by theme

Demand and seasonality: 80

• Nights in the three busiest months: 32.8 % 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: 43.3 % 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). Between 35 and 45: grade 3/4. Source
• Largest foreign market: 10.8 % of international arrivals or nights (country figure) (Ministry of Tourism of Saudi Arabia, Annual Statistical Report 2024 (via Arab News / Sharikat Mubasher), 2024). At or below 15: grade 4/4. Source
• Recovery against 2019: not measured yet
• Average length of stay: 4.4 nights per visitor (region figure) (General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), Tourism Establishments Statistics Q4 2025, Q4 2025). At or above 3.5: grade 4/4. Source
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 63 % average annual occupancy (Insights KSA, Hospitality Trends in Makkah & Madinah (citing STR Global / Ministry of Tourism), 2023). Between 55 and 65: grade 2/4. Source

Economy and jobs: 75

• Jobs in tourism industries: 10.2 % 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). Between 8 and 12: grade 3/4. Source
• Unemployment rate: 8.7 % of the labour force (region figure) (General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) via DataSaudi, Q1 2026). Between 8 and 12: grade 2/4. Source
• Income per head: 73,784 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). At or above 60,000: grade 4/4. Source
• Economic diversity: not measured yet

Climate and hazards: 40

• Extreme heat days: 213.8 days a year at or above 35°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Above 60: grade 0/4. Source
• Tropical nights: 286.8 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: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4. Source
• Country disaster risk: 3.1 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: 50

• Water scarcity: high (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 1/4. Source
• Wastewater safely treated: 100 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (UN-Habitat & Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs (MoMRA), Future Saudi Cities Programme - CPI Profile Makkah, 2017). At or above 95: grade 4/4. Source
• Municipal waste per resident: 511 kg per resident per year (PLOS One, Biodiesel production potential from fat fraction of municipal waste in Makkah, 2014–2024). Between 450 and 550: grade 2/4. Source
• Green space: 17.1 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (region figure) (Saudi National Center for Vegetation Cover and Combating Desertification via Arab News, 2023). Between 10 and 20: grade 1/4. Source

Community and housing: 75

• Tourism intensity: 17.8 visitor nights per resident per year (Ministry of Tourism (Saudi Arabia) - Tourism Statistics in Saudi Arabia Annual Statistical Report 2023; GASTAT Saudi Census 2022, 2023). Between 10 and 20: grade 2/4. Source
• Cruise pressure: not measured yet
• Rent growth: 4.4 % change in rents over the last 12 months (country figure) (General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), Consumer Price Index, June 2026). Between 3 and 6: grade 3/4. Source
• Short-let density: not measured yet
• Resident support for tourism: 78.4 % of residents who say tourism benefits them or the city (region figure) (MDPI Tourism and Hospitality (Alsaloum et al.) / Al-Kindi Study on Makkah Region Residents, 2024). At or above 70: grade 4/4. Source

Access and continuity: 71

• Access redundancy: 2 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites / Haramain High Speed Railway, 2026). Between 2 and 3: grade 2/4. 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, tested plan that names visitors and tourism operators, with warnings in several languages (Saudi Civil Defence / National Early Warning Platform, 2026). Grade 4/4. Source
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A plan tested in an exercise or a real event, with lessons published (Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah / Preprints - Mass Gathering Medicine and Crisis Management Review, 2024–2025). Grade 4/4. Source
• Government effectiveness: 71.7 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: 3 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 2.5 and 3: grade 1/4. Source
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source partly ring-fenced for residents, infrastructure or sustainability (Saudi Tourism Development Fund (TDF) / Saudi Ministry of Tourism, 2020-2026). Grade 3/4. Source

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