Abu Dhabi vs Mecca

Abu Dhabi and Mecca are level on the CIRA Index at 60. Abu Dhabi grades better on 7 measures, Mecca on 8; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Abu Dhabi 60, Mecca 60
• OECD: Abu Dhabi 66, Mecca 66
• UN Tourism: Abu Dhabi 64, Mecca 64
• UNDRR: Abu Dhabi 56, Mecca 69

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Abu Dhabi 95, Mecca 80
• Economy and jobs: Abu Dhabi 94, Mecca 75
• Climate and hazards: Abu Dhabi 35, Mecca 40
• Water and environment: Abu Dhabi 38, Mecca 50
• Community and housing: Abu Dhabi 50, Mecca 75
• Access and continuity: Abu Dhabi 67, Mecca 71

Where Abu Dhabi is stronger

• Nights in the three busiest months: 28.7 % of annual nights (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: UN Tourism by United Nations World Tourism Organization), 2022, 2023 moving average). At or below 30: grade 4/4.
• Domestic share of nights: 48.3 % of nights by residents of the same country (region figure) (Aletihad Newspaper / Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), 2024). At or above 45: grade 4/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 79 % average annual occupancy (region figure) (Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), Hotel Performance Report 2024 (reported by Aletihad), 2024). At or above 75: grade 4/4.
• Unemployment rate: 2.2 % of the labour force (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Tourism intensity: 4.5 visitor nights per resident per year (region figure) (Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi & Statistics Centre - Abu Dhabi (SCAD), 2024). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Abu Dhabi Airports, AD Ports Group, Etihad Rail, Integrated Transport Centre, 2026). At or above 4: grade 4/4.
• Government effectiveness: 82.5 World Bank WGI percentile rank, 0–100 (country figure) (World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025). At or above 80: grade 4/4.

Where Mecca is stronger

• Average length of stay: 4.4 nights per visitor (region figure) (General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), Tourism Establishments Statistics Q4 2025, Q4 2025). At or above 3.5: grade 4/4.
• Wildfire and storm hazard: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 511 kg per resident per year (PLOS One, Biodiesel production potential from fat fraction of municipal waste in Makkah, 2014–2024). Between 450 and 550: grade 2/4.
• Green space: 17.1 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (region figure) (Saudi National Center for Vegetation Cover and Combating Desertification via Arab News, 2023). Between 10 and 20: grade 1/4.
• Rent growth: 4.4 % change in rents over the last 12 months (country figure) (General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), Consumer Price Index, June 2026). Between 3 and 6: grade 3/4.
• Early warning and emergency plan: An updated, tested plan that names visitors and tourism operators, with warnings in several languages (Saudi Civil Defence / National Early Warning Platform, 2026). Grade 4/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A plan tested in an exercise or a real event, with lessons published (Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah / Preprints - Mass Gathering Medicine and Crisis Management Review, 2024–2025). Grade 4/4.
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source partly ring-fenced for residents, infrastructure or sustainability (Saudi Tourism Development Fund (TDF) / Saudi Ministry of Tourism, 2020-2026). Grade 3/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• United Arab Emirates: #22 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Saudi Arabia: #29 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Abu Dhabi in full · Mecca in full

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