Alicante vs Marbella

Alicante leads Marbella by 1 points on the CIRA Index, 57 to 56. Alicante grades better on 6 measures, Marbella on 5; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Alicante 57, Marbella 56
• OECD: Alicante 59, Marbella 56
• UN Tourism: Alicante 57, Marbella 54
• UNDRR: Alicante 60, Marbella 56

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Alicante 70, Marbella 63
• Economy and jobs: Alicante 75, Marbella 75
• Climate and hazards: Alicante 45, Marbella 50
• Water and environment: Alicante 42, Marbella 42
• Community and housing: Alicante 50, Marbella 56
• Access and continuity: Alicante 66, Marbella 58

Where Alicante is stronger

• Domestic share of nights: 42.6 % of nights by residents of the same country (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). Between 35 and 45: grade 3/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 79 % average annual occupancy (Ayuntamiento de Alicante / Patronato Municipal de Turismo Alicante City&Beach and APHA, 2025). At or above 75: grade 4/4.
• Tourism intensity: 7.6 visitor nights per resident per year (Turisme Comunitat Valenciana / INE, 'Perfil del turista alojado en oferta reglada en la Comunitat Valenciana' & INE Padrón Municipal, 2023). Between 5 and 10: grade 3/4.
• Short-let density: 2.4 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (region figure) (INE (Instituto Nacional de Estadística), 'Estadística experimental: Medición del número de viviendas turísticas en España y su capacidad', May 2026). Between 2 and 4: grade 1/4.
• Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Alicante Turismo - ALICANTE City & Beach, 'How to Get to Alicante', 2026). At or above 4: grade 4/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A written destination crisis plan (Patronato de Turismo Alicante City&Beach, 'Plan Estratégico Alicante como Destino Turístico Sostenible 2023-2027', 2023–2027). Grade 2/4.

Where Marbella is stronger

• Average length of stay: 3.6 nights per visitor (Ayuntamiento de Marbella & INE (Encuesta de Ocupación Hotelera), 2024). At or above 3.5: grade 4/4.
• Flood hazard: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4.
• Rent growth: 2.4 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Idealista, Valoración de inmuebles en Marbella, Málaga, September 2025–September 2026). At or below 3: grade 4/4.
• Largest airline group share: 32.1 % of airport passengers carried by the largest airline group (metro figure) (Aena, detailed traffic statistics (passengers by airline, route and country), Sep 2025 – Aug 2026). Between 30 and 40: grade 2/4.
• Air route concentration: 43 % of international air passengers on routes to the 3 largest partner countries (metro figure) (Aena, detailed traffic statistics (passengers by airline, route and country), Sep 2025 – Aug 2026). Between 35 and 50: grade 3/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Spain: #3 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Spain: #3 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Alicante in full · Marbella in full

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