Suzhou

Suzhou, China, scores 67 on the CIRA Index of tourism resilience, #84 of 309 destinations. 23 of 29 measures come from public sources, with 78% confidence. Every grade below states its value, period and source.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: 67
• OECD: 63
• UN Tourism: 74
• UNDRR: 62

Strongest

• Recovery against 2019: 132.8 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (Suzhou Municipal Bureau of Statistics, 2024 Statistical Communiqué on National Economic and Social Development, 2024). At or above 110: grade 4/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 96.7 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (Suzhou Municipal Statistics Bureau, Suzhou Statistical Yearbook 2025, 2024). At or above 95: grade 4/4.
• Green space: 44.6 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (Suzhou Municipal People's Government, Environment Protection, 2024). At or above 40: grade 4/4.

Weakest

• Tropical nights: 120 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.
• Nights in the three busiest months: 46.8 % of annual nights (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: UN Tourism by United Nations World Tourism Organization), 2019, 2020 moving average). Between 40 and 50: grade 1/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 49.2 % average annual occupancy (country figure) (Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China, 2024 Statistical Bulletin on Culture and Tourism Development, 2024). Between 45 and 55: grade 1/4.

China in the World Economic Forum Travel & Tourism Development Index

China is #8 of 110 countries (5 of 7) in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026, which scores countries, not cities. Cities in countries with that WEF score average 67 on the CIRA Index; Suzhou is right on that.

Every measure, by theme

Demand and seasonality: 63

• Nights in the three busiest months: 46.8 % of annual nights (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: UN Tourism by United Nations World Tourism Organization), 2019, 2020 moving average). Between 40 and 50: grade 1/4. Source
• Domestic share of nights: 97.7 % of nights by residents of the same country (country figure) (National Bureau of Statistics of China, Statistical Communiqué of the People's Republic of China on the 2024 National Economic and Social Development, 2024). At or above 45: grade 4/4. Source
• Largest foreign market: not measured yet
• Recovery against 2019: 132.8 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (Suzhou Municipal Bureau of Statistics, 2024 Statistical Communiqué on National Economic and Social Development, 2024). At or above 110: grade 4/4. Source
• Average length of stay: not measured yet
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 49.2 % average annual occupancy (country figure) (Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China, 2024 Statistical Bulletin on Culture and Tourism Development, 2024). Between 45 and 55: grade 1/4. Source

Economy and jobs: 92

• Jobs in tourism industries: 5.4 % 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: 4.6 % of the labour force (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4. Source
• Income per head: 58,315 GDP per capita, USD PPP (Suzhou Municipal Bureau of Statistics, Suzhou Statistical Yearbook 2025; World Bank, World Development Indicators (ICP 2021 cycle), 2024). Between 45,000 and 60,000: grade 3/4. Source
• Economic diversity: not measured yet

Climate and hazards: 35

• Extreme heat days: 20.4 days a year at or above 35°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Between 15 and 30: grade 2/4. Source
• Tropical nights: 120 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: high (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 1/4. Source
• Country disaster risk: 2.9 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: 81

• Water scarcity: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4. Source
• Wastewater safely treated: 96.7 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (Suzhou Municipal Statistics Bureau, Suzhou Statistical Yearbook 2025, 2024). At or above 95: grade 4/4. Source
• Municipal waste per resident: 370.7 kg per resident per year (Suzhou Municipal Statistics Bureau, Suzhou Statistical Yearbook 2025, 2024). Between 350 and 450: grade 3/4. Source
• Green space: 44.6 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (Suzhou Municipal People's Government, Environment Protection, 2024). At or above 40: grade 4/4. Source

Community and housing: 100

• Tourism intensity: not measured yet
• Cruise pressure: not measured yet
• Rent growth: -0.6 % change in rents over the last 12 months (country figure) (National Bureau of Statistics of China (via Trading Economics), Aug 2025–Aug 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: 58

• Access redundancy: 2 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Suzhou Municipal People's Government, 'Transportation', 2024). Between 2 and 3: grade 2/4. 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 (Suzhou Municipal People's Government Office, 'Notice on Printing and Distributing the Suzhou Emergency Response Plan for Meteorological Disasters', 2024). Grade 3/4. Source
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A written destination crisis plan (Suzhou Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism, 'Suzhou Cultural and Tourism Industry Safety and Emergency Response Plan', 2023). Grade 2/4. Source
• Government effectiveness: 69.8 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: 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 promotion budget that depends each year on the general budget (Suzhou Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism, '2024 Departmental Budget', 2024). Grade 1/4. Source

Compare Suzhou

• Chongqing vs Suzhou
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• Suzhou vs Tianjin
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• Surat vs Suzhou

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