San Sebastián

San Sebastián, Spain, scores 64 on the CIRA Index of tourism resilience, #105 of 309 destinations. 33 of 34 measures come from public sources, with 89% confidence. Every grade below states its value, period and source.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

CIRA Index: 64
OECD: 61
UN Tourism: 67
UNDRR: 56

Strongest

Recovery against 2019: 111.7 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (Donostia San Sebastián Turismoa & Bilbao Turismo / Eustat, 2025). At or above 110: grade 4/4.
Extreme heat days: 1.6 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.
Cruise pressure: 0 cruise passengers in the busiest month per resident (Puertos del Estado, monthly port traffic summaries ("Cuadros resumen", cruise passengers incl. home port and transit), 2025-06). At or below 0: grade 4/4.

Weakest

Tourism crisis and recovery plan: No tourism crisis or recovery plan found (Donostia San Sebastián Turismoa, Plan de Turismo Sostenible Donostia / San Sebastián 2023–2027 & Ayuntamiento de Donostia, 2023–2027). Grade 0/4.
Largest airline group share: 76.1 % of airport passengers carried by the largest airline group (Aena, detailed traffic statistics (passengers by airline, route and country), Sep 2025 – Aug 2026). Above 55: grade 0/4.
Resident support for tourism: 44.3 % of residents who say tourism benefits them or the city (Fundación Alternativas - Turismo Sostenible en Gipuzkoa: desafíos y oportunidades, 2021). Between 40 and 50: grade 1/4.

Spain in the World Economic Forum Travel & Tourism Development Index

Spain is #3 of 110 countries (5.22 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; San Sebastián is 5 below that.

Every measure, by theme

Demand and seasonality: 58

Nights in the three busiest months: 33.1 % of annual nights (Donostia San Sebastián Turismoa / Eustat, 2025). Between 30 and 35: grade 3/4. Source
Domestic share of nights: 34 % of nights by residents of the same country (Donostia San Sebastián Turismoa, Observatorio Turístico - Balance 2025, 2025). Between 25 and 35: grade 2/4. Source
Largest foreign market: 31.7 % of international arrivals or nights (INE, foreign tourists by municipality and country of residence (mobile-phone positioning, table 52048), 2025). Between 30 and 40: grade 1/4. Source
Recovery against 2019: 111.7 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (Donostia San Sebastián Turismoa & Bilbao Turismo / Eustat, 2025). At or above 110: grade 4/4. Source
Average length of stay: 2.1 nights per visitor (Donostia San Sebastián Turismoa (Observatorio Turístico / Eustat), 2025). Between 1.8 and 2.2: grade 1/4. Source
Hotel bed or room occupancy: 74.3 % average annual occupancy (ADEGI / Eustat, Informe de Evolución del Turismo en establecimientos hoteleros de Gipuzkoa. Año 2024, 2024). Between 65 and 75: grade 3/4. Source

Economy and jobs: 83

Jobs in tourism industries: 7.1 % 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: 6.3 % of the labour force (Fomento de San Sebastián / Eustat, Barómetro Económico 2024, 2024). Between 5 and 8: grade 3/4. Source
Income per head: 59,868 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). Between 45,000 and 60,000: grade 3/4. Source
Economic diversity: not measured yet

Climate and hazards: 60

Extreme heat days: 1.6 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: 12.2 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: 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: 2.5 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: 75

Water scarcity: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4. Source
Wastewater safely treated: 100 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (metro figure) (Mancomunidad de Aguas del Añarbe / Añarbeko Urak, 2024). At or above 95: grade 4/4. Source
Municipal waste per resident: 455 kg per resident per year (Fundación Cristina Enea / Ayuntamiento de Donostia-San Sebastián, Informe Anual de Sostenibilidad y Clima 2021, 2021). Between 450 and 550: grade 2/4. Source
Green space: 20.3 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (Fundación Cristina Enea (Observatorio de Sostenibilidad y Clima de Donostia / San Sebastián), Informe Anual de Sostenibilidad y Clima de Donostia / San Sebastián 2025, 2025). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4. Source

Community and housing: 65

Tourism intensity: 11.2 visitor nights per resident per year (Donostia San Sebastián Turismoa & INE Padrón Municipal, 2025). Between 10 and 20: grade 2/4. Source
Cruise pressure: 0 cruise passengers in the busiest month per resident (Puertos del Estado, monthly port traffic summaries ("Cuadros resumen", cruise passengers incl. home port and transit), 2025-06). At or below 0: grade 4/4. Source
Rent growth: -4.8 % change in rents over the last 12 months (idealista, August 2025 – August 2026). At or below 3: grade 4/4. Source
Short-let density: 1.5 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (Ayuntamiento de Donostia / San Sebastián - Open Data & Censo de viviendas INE 2021, 2023). Between 1 and 2: grade 2/4. Source
Resident support for tourism: 44.3 % of residents who say tourism benefits them or the city (Fundación Alternativas - Turismo Sostenible en Gipuzkoa: desafíos y oportunidades, 2021). Between 40 and 50: grade 1/4. Source

Access and continuity: 53

Access redundancy: 2 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (San Sebastián Turismoa, 'How to get here', 2024). Between 2 and 3: grade 2/4. Source
Air traffic recovery: 145.6 % of the same 12 months of 2019, airport passengers (Eurostat avia_paoa, 2025-04–2026-03). At or above 110: grade 4/4. Source
Rail share of intercity access: 34.1 % of intercity passengers travelling by long-distance rail (rail vs rail + airport) (Ministerio de Transportes, Observatorio del Ferrocarril en España 2024 (rail, by city) and Eurostat avia_paoa (airport), 2024). Between 20 and 35: grade 2/4. Source
Rail traffic recovery: 82.3 % of 2019 long-distance rail passengers, latest year (Ministerio de Transportes, Observatorio del Ferrocarril en España 2024, passengers by city 2019 and 2024, 2024). Between 75 and 90: grade 1/4. Source
Largest airline group share: 76.1 % of airport passengers carried by the largest airline group (Aena, detailed traffic statistics (passengers by airline, route and country), Sep 2025 – Aug 2026). Above 55: grade 0/4. Source
Air route concentration: not measured yet
Early warning and emergency plan: An updated city plan with public early warning for heat, flood or fire (Donostiako Udala (Ayuntamiento de Donostia / San Sebastián), 'Plan de Emergencia Municipal' & 'Plan Municipal frente a incendios forestales en Igeldo', 2023–2026). Grade 3/4. Source
Tourism crisis and recovery plan: No tourism crisis or recovery plan found (Donostia San Sebastián Turismoa, Plan de Turismo Sostenible Donostia / San Sebastián 2023–2027 & Ayuntamiento de Donostia, 2023–2027). Grade 0/4. Source
Government effectiveness: 83 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: 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 (Noticias de Gipuzkoa / Ayuntamiento de Donostia, 'Donostia empezará a cobrar el Impuesto Turístico desde el 1 de enero', 2026). Grade 2/4. Source

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