Nairobi

Nairobi, Kenya, scores 71 on the CIRA Index of tourism resilience, #40 of 309 destinations. 27 of 29 measures come from public sources, with 74% confidence. Every grade below states its value, period and source.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: 71
• OECD: 70
• UN Tourism: 68
• UNDRR: 61

Strongest

• Extreme heat days: 0 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.
• Tropical nights: 0 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.
• Tourism intensity: 0.5 visitor nights per resident per year (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) Economic Survey 2025 via Business Daily & 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census, 2024). At or below 5: grade 4/4.

Weakest

• Income per head: 7,016 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). Below 15,000: grade 0/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 28.9 % average annual occupancy (country figure) (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), Economic Survey 2025, 2024). Below 45: grade 0/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 48 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (KBC / Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company, 2024). Below 50: grade 0/4.

Kenya in the World Economic Forum Travel & Tourism Development Index

Kenya is #77 of 110 countries (3.67 of 7) in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026, which scores countries, not cities. Cities in countries with that WEF score average 55 on the CIRA Index; Nairobi is 16 above that.

Every measure, by theme

Demand and seasonality: 79

• Nights in the three busiest months: 31.1 % of annual nights (country figure) (Tourism Research Institute, Annual Tourism Sector Performance Report 2024, 2024). Between 30 and 35: grade 3/4. Source
• Domestic share of nights: 47.9 % of nights by residents of the same country (country figure) (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), Economic Survey 2025, 2024). At or above 45: grade 4/4. Source
• Largest foreign market: 12.8 % of international arrivals or nights (country figure) (Tourism Research Institute, Annual Tourism Sector Performance Report 2024, 2024). At or below 15: grade 4/4. Source
• Recovery against 2019: 117.1 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (country figure) (Tourism Research Institute, Annual Tourism Sector Performance Report 2024, 2024). At or above 110: grade 4/4. Source
• Average length of stay: 12.1 nights per visitor (country figure) (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), Economic Survey 2025, 2024). At or above 3.5: grade 4/4. Source
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 28.9 % average annual occupancy (country figure) (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), Economic Survey 2025, 2024). Below 45: grade 0/4. Source

Economy and jobs: 50

• Jobs in tourism industries: 3.4 % of employment in accommodation and food services (country figure) (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), Economic Survey 2025, 2024). At or below 8: grade 4/4. Source
• Unemployment rate: 11.4 % of the labour force (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census Analytical Report on Urbanisation, 2019). Between 8 and 12: grade 2/4. Source
• Income per head: 7,016 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). Below 15,000: grade 0/4. Source
• Economic diversity: not measured yet

Climate and hazards: 65

• Extreme heat days: 0 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: 0 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: 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: 6.1 INFORM Risk index, 0–10 (country figure) (INFORM Risk (European Commission JRC), INFORM Risk Mid 2026, 2026). Between 5 and 6.5: grade 1/4. Source

Water and environment: 63

• Water scarcity: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4. Source
• Wastewater safely treated: 48 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (KBC / Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company, 2024). Below 50: grade 0/4. Source
• Municipal waste per resident: 303 kg per resident per year (UN-Habitat Waste Wise Cities Tool (WaCT) Factsheet - Nairobi, Kenya, 2023). At or below 350: grade 4/4. Source
• Green space: 43 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (Husqvarna Urban Green Space Index (HUGSI), 2023). At or above 40: grade 4/4. Source

Community and housing: 100

• Tourism intensity: 0.5 visitor nights per resident per year (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) Economic Survey 2025 via Business Daily & 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census, 2024). At or below 5: grade 4/4. Source
• Cruise pressure: not measured yet
• Rent growth: -2.5 % change in rents over the last 12 months (metro figure) (HassConsult, Hass Composite Rental Index Q4 2025 (reported by Tuko), 2025). At or below 3: grade 4/4. Source
• Short-let density: 0.3 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (AirDNA / AirROI via Afriqahome & KNBS 2019 Kenya 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: 58

• Access redundancy: 3 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Kenya Railways Corporation & Kenya Airports Authority & Kenya National Highways Authority, 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 (Nairobi City County Government & Kenya Times, 2026). Grade 3/4. Source
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: Crisis communication only, ad hoc (Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife Kenya, 2025). Grade 1/4. Source
• Government effectiveness: 43.4 World Bank WGI percentile rank, 0–100 (country figure) (World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025). Between 40 and 60: grade 2/4. 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 (Tourism Fund Kenya, 2025). Grade 2/4. Source

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