Muscat
Muscat, Oman, scores 60 on the CIRA Index of tourism resilience, #140 of 309 destinations. 26 of 29 measures come from public sources, with 67% confidence. Every grade below states its value, period and source.
Scores by each organisation's criteria
- CIRA Index: 60
- OECD: 58
- UN Tourism: 56
- UNDRR: 49
Strongest
- Rent growth: 3 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Sands of Wealth / Savills Oman Research, 2025–2026). At or below 3: grade 4/4.
- Wildfire and storm hazard: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
- Nights in the three busiest months: 29.9 % 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.
Weakest
- Wastewater safely treated: 42 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (country figure) (WHO / ReWater MENA (IWMI) / UN SDG Indicator 6.3.1, 2020). Below 50: grade 0/4.
- Green space: 1.3 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (metro figure) (Times of Oman / Muscat Municipality, 2024). Below 10: grade 0/4.
- Tropical nights: 294.8 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.
Oman in the World Economic Forum Travel & Tourism Development Index
Oman is #62 of 110 countries (3.98 of 7) in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026, which scores countries, not cities. Cities in countries with that WEF score average 58 on the CIRA Index; Muscat is 2 above that.
Every measure, by theme
Demand and seasonality: 75
- Nights in the three busiest months: 29.9 % 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: 43.1 % of nights by residents of the same country (country figure) (National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), published via Oman News Agency, Jan–Aug 2026). Between 35 and 45: grade 3/4. Source
- Largest foreign market: 24.3 % of international arrivals or nights (country figure) (National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), reported by Gulf News, Jan–Jun 2026). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4. Source
- Recovery against 2019: 114.1 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (country figure) (Times of Oman / National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), 2025). At or above 110: grade 4/4. Source
- Average length of stay: 6.5 nights per visitor (country figure) (National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), 'Tourism Reality in the Sultanate of Oman' bulletin (reported via Oman Observer / Oman News Agency), 2025). At or above 3.5: grade 4/4. Source
- Hotel bed or room occupancy: 46.5 % average annual occupancy (country figure) (National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) / Oman News Agency, Jan–Aug 2026). Between 45 and 55: grade 1/4. Source
Economy and jobs: 83
- 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: 3.3 % of the labour force (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4. Source
- Income per head: 42,295 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: 40
- Extreme heat days: 132.8 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: 294.8 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: 2.3 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: 25
- Water scarcity: high (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 1/4. Source
- Wastewater safely treated: 42 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (country figure) (WHO / ReWater MENA (IWMI) / UN SDG Indicator 6.3.1, 2020). Below 50: grade 0/4. Source
- Municipal waste per resident: 438 kg per resident per year (country figure) (Waste & Recycling magazine / Oman Environmental Services Holding Company (be'ah), 2024). Between 350 and 450: grade 3/4. Source
- Green space: 1.3 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (metro figure) (Times of Oman / Muscat Municipality, 2024). Below 10: grade 0/4. Source
Community and housing: 88
- Tourism intensity: 5.7 visitor nights per resident per year (country figure) (Times of Oman / Oman News Agency (NCSI data), 2025). Between 5 and 10: grade 3/4. Source
- Cruise pressure: not measured yet
- Rent growth: 3 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Sands of Wealth / Savills Oman Research, 2025–2026). At or below 3: grade 4/4. Source
- Short-let density: not measured yet
- Resident support for tourism: not measured yet
Access and continuity: 54
- Access redundancy: 3 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Wikipedia / Asyad Group / Oman Airports, 2025–2026). 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 (Oman Daily Observer / Civil Aviation Authority, 2025–2026). Grade 3/4. Source
- Tourism crisis and recovery plan: Crisis communication only, ad hoc (Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, Sultanate of Oman, 2023–2026). Grade 1/4. Source
- Government effectiveness: 63.7 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 such as a tourist tax or levy (Oman Ministry of Heritage and Tourism / Official Oman e-Government Services Portal, 2025–2026). Grade 2/4. Source
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