Melbourne

Melbourne, Australia, scores 70 on the CIRA Index of tourism resilience, #57 of 309 destinations. 27 of 29 measures come from public sources, with 81% confidence. Every grade below states its value, period and source.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: 70
• OECD: 69
• UN Tourism: 71
• UNDRR: 69

Strongest

• Average length of stay: 15.2 nights per visitor (Tourism Research Australia via City of Melbourne / id.economy, 2024/25). At or above 3.5: grade 4/4.
• Unemployment rate: 4.1 % of the labour force (Australian Bureau of Statistics & Department of Employment (via economy.id Melbourne), March 2026). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Economic diversity: 81.3 % of employment outside accommodation, food, retail and transport (City of Melbourne / economy.id (NIEIR National Accounts regional econometric model), 2024/25). At or above 80: grade 4/4.

Weakest

• Short-let density: 14 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (City of Melbourne, Management Report to Council / Future Melbourne Committee Report, 2023–2024). Above 4: grade 0/4.
• Tourism intensity: 137.2 visitor nights per resident per year (City of Melbourne / .id (informed decisions) & Tourism Research Australia, 2024/25). Above 40: grade 0/4.
• Green space: 13.4 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (metro figure) (Department of Transport and Planning (Victoria), Melbourne's vegetation, heat and land use data, 2018). Between 10 and 20: grade 1/4.

Australia in the World Economic Forum Travel & Tourism Development Index

Australia is #4 of 110 countries (5.18 of 7) in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026, which scores countries, not cities. Cities in countries with that WEF score average 69 on the CIRA Index; Melbourne is 1 above that.

Every measure, by theme

Demand and seasonality: 70

• Nights in the three busiest months: 30.4 % 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: 38.9 % of nights by residents of the same country (Tourism Research Australia via .id community (City of Melbourne Economic Profile), 2023/24). Between 35 and 45: grade 3/4. Source
• Largest foreign market: 30.5 % of international arrivals or nights (region figure) (State Government of Victoria / Premier of Victoria & Tourism Research Australia (IVS / DoTS), 2025). Between 30 and 40: grade 1/4. Source
• Recovery against 2019: not measured yet
• Average length of stay: 15.2 nights per visitor (Tourism Research Australia via City of Melbourne / id.economy, 2024/25). At or above 3.5: grade 4/4. Source
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 74.6 % average annual occupancy (Accommodation Australia / Victorian State Government (Hotel Occupancy Report Card), 2025). Between 65 and 75: grade 3/4. Source

Economy and jobs: 100

• Jobs in tourism industries: 5.7 % 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: 4.1 % of the labour force (Australian Bureau of Statistics & Department of Employment (via economy.id Melbourne), March 2026). At or below 5: grade 4/4. Source
• Income per head: 71,934 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). At or above 60,000: grade 4/4. Source
• Economic diversity: 81.3 % of employment outside accommodation, food, retail and transport (City of Melbourne / economy.id (NIEIR National Accounts regional econometric model), 2024/25). At or above 80: grade 4/4. Source

Climate and hazards: 60

• Extreme heat days: 6.8 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: 2.8 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: 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: 2.4 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: 63

• Water scarcity: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4. Source
• Wastewater safely treated: 100 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (metro figure) (Melbourne Water, Annual Report / Sewerage System Accounts, 2022–2023). At or above 95: grade 4/4. Source
• Municipal waste per resident: 512 kg per resident per year (country figure) (Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), National Waste Report, 2022–2023). Between 450 and 550: grade 2/4. Source
• Green space: 13.4 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (metro figure) (Department of Transport and Planning (Victoria), Melbourne's vegetation, heat and land use data, 2018). Between 10 and 20: grade 1/4. Source

Community and housing: 25

• Tourism intensity: 137.2 visitor nights per resident per year (City of Melbourne / .id (informed decisions) & Tourism Research Australia, 2024/25). Above 40: grade 0/4. Source
• Cruise pressure: not measured yet
• Rent growth: 5 % change in rents over the last 12 months (metro figure) (OpenAgent / Cotality (CoreLogic), year to August 2026). Between 3 and 6: grade 3/4. Source
• Short-let density: 14 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (City of Melbourne, Management Report to Council / Future Melbourne Committee Report, 2023–2024). Above 4: grade 0/4. Source
• Resident support for tourism: not measured yet

Access and continuity: 88

• Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (metro figure) (Infrastructure Victoria / City of Melbourne, 2024). 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 (City of Melbourne Municipal Emergency Management Plan (MEMP), 2024). Grade 3/4. Source
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A plan with named owners, operators and recovery funding (Victoria State Government, Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions, 'Visitor Economy Recovery and Reform Plan', 2021–2024). Grade 3/4. Source
• Government effectiveness: 95.3 World Bank WGI percentile rank, 0–100 (country figure) (World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025). At or above 80: grade 4/4. 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 partly ring-fenced for residents, infrastructure or sustainability (State Revenue Office Victoria, Short Stay Levy Act 2024, 2025). Grade 3/4. Source

Compare Melbourne

• Melbourne vs Sydney
• Brisbane vs Melbourne
• Melbourne vs Perth
• Canberra vs Melbourne
• Auckland vs Melbourne

The CIRA Index ranking · City vs city · How the index works · CIRA Studio · Put your city in the pilot