Seattle

Seattle, United States, scores 73 on the CIRA Index of tourism resilience, #28 of 309 destinations. 25 of 29 measures come from public sources, with 84% confidence. Every grade below states its value, period and source.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: 73
• OECD: 70
• UN Tourism: 70
• UNDRR: 67

Strongest

• Extreme heat days: 0.2 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: 0.4 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.
• Rent growth: 0.7 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Zillow, What's it like to live in Seattle, WA?, September 2025–September 2026). At or below 3: grade 4/4.

Weakest

• Largest foreign market: 73.3 % of international arrivals or nights (region figure) (Visit Seattle / Tourism Economics, 2024). Above 40: grade 0/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 862.6 kg per resident per year (Seattle Public Utilities, Moving Toward Zero Waste: 2024 Annual Solid Waste Report, 2024). Above 700: grade 0/4.
• Wildfire and storm hazard: high (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 1/4.

United States in the World Economic Forum Travel & Tourism Development Index

United States is #2 of 110 countries (5.23 of 7) in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026, which scores countries, not cities. Cities in countries with that WEF score average 70 on the CIRA Index; Seattle is 3 above that.

Every measure, by theme

Demand and seasonality: 65

• Nights in the three busiest months: 28.4 % 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: 94 % of nights by residents of the same country (region figure) (Visit Seattle / Tourism Economics, 2024). At or above 45: grade 4/4. Source
• Largest foreign market: 73.3 % of international arrivals or nights (region figure) (Visit Seattle / Tourism Economics, 2024). Above 40: grade 0/4. Source
• Recovery against 2019: 95 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (metro figure) (Visit Seattle, 2024). Between 90 and 100: grade 2/4. Source
• Average length of stay: not measured yet
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 70.3 % average annual occupancy (metro figure) (Kidder Mathews (via STR data), 2024). Between 65 and 75: grade 3/4. Source

Economy and jobs: 92

• Jobs in tourism industries: not measured yet
• Unemployment rate: 4.8 % of the labour force (metro figure) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Economy at a Glance: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, August 2026). At or below 5: grade 4/4. Source
• Income per head: 120,592 GDP per capita, USD PPP (metro figure) (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis via W[REPORT], 2023). At or above 60,000: grade 4/4. Source
• Economic diversity: 73.5 % of employment outside accommodation, food, retail and transport (metro figure) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Economy at a Glance, August 2026). Between 72 and 80: grade 3/4. Source

Climate and hazards: 65

• Extreme heat days: 0.2 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: 0.4 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: 3.3 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: 63

• Water scarcity: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4. Source
• Wastewater safely treated: 98.1 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: SDG Indicators Database by United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs), 2024). At or above 95: grade 4/4. Source
• Municipal waste per resident: 862.6 kg per resident per year (Seattle Public Utilities, Moving Toward Zero Waste: 2024 Annual Solid Waste Report, 2024). Above 700: grade 0/4. Source
• Green space: 28.1 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (City of Seattle, Office of Sustainability & Environment, 2021 Tree Canopy Assessment, 2021). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4. Source

Community and housing: 63

• Tourism intensity: not measured yet
• Cruise pressure: not measured yet
• Rent growth: 0.7 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Zillow, What's it like to live in Seattle, WA?, September 2025–September 2026). At or below 3: grade 4/4. Source
• Short-let density: 2.7 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (AirDNA Market Data & City of Seattle Office of Planning and Community Development, 2024–2026). Between 2 and 4: grade 1/4. Source
• Resident support for tourism: not measured yet

Access and continuity: 79

• Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Port of Seattle, Amtrak, and Washington State Department of Transportation, 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, tested plan that names visitors and tourism operators, with warnings in several languages (City of Seattle Office of Emergency Management, Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) & AlertSeattle, 2021–2025). Grade 4/4. Source
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: Crisis communication only, ad hoc (Visit Seattle & City of Seattle Office of Emergency Management, 2024). Grade 1/4. Source
• Government effectiveness: 84 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 such as a tourist tax or levy (City of Seattle, Seattle Tourism Improvement Area (STIA) Ordinance, 2023–2024). Grade 2/4. Source

Compare Seattle

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