Baku vs Dubai
Baku and Dubai are level on the CIRA Index at 60. Baku grades better on 7 measures, Dubai on 11; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.
Scores by each organisation's criteria
- CIRA Index: Baku 60, Dubai 60
- OECD: Baku 55, Dubai 70
- UN Tourism: Baku 60, Dubai 68
- UNDRR: Baku 43, Dubai 65
Theme by theme
- Demand and seasonality: Baku 65, Dubai 88
- Economy and jobs: Baku 69, Dubai 88
- Climate and hazards: Baku 40, Dubai 35
- Water and environment: Baku 50, Dubai 44
- Community and housing: Baku 75, Dubai 83
- Access and continuity: Baku 42, Dubai 75
Where Baku is stronger
- Economic diversity: 77 % of employment outside accommodation, food, retail and transport (country figure) (State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, 2025). Between 72 and 80: grade 3/4.
- Extreme heat days: 8.6 days a year at or above 35°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Between 5 and 15: grade 3/4.
- Tropical nights: 87.8 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Between 60 and 100: grade 1/4.
- Water scarcity: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
- Municipal waste per resident: 297.2 kg per resident per year (country figure) (State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan via ResearchGate, 2024). At or below 350: grade 4/4.
- Tourism intensity: 1.2 visitor nights per resident per year (State Statistical Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Activities of hotels and similar establishments in 2025 & Demographic Indicators of Azerbaijan, 2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
- Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (State Maritime and Port Agency of Azerbaijan & Azerbaijan Railways (ADY), 2026). At or above 4: grade 4/4.
Where Dubai is stronger
- Hotel bed or room occupancy: 80.7 % average annual occupancy (Government of Dubai, Department of Finance, citing DET hospitality metrics, 2025). At or above 75: grade 4/4.
- Unemployment rate: 0.9 % of the labour force (Government of Dubai, Department of Finance (Dubai overview), 2024). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
- Income per head: 79,344 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2024). At or above 60,000: grade 4/4.
- Wildfire and storm hazard: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
- Country disaster risk: 2.3 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.
- Wastewater safely treated: 90 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (Government of Dubai Media Office, 2023). Between 85 and 95: grade 3/4.
- Rent growth: -3 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Cushman & Wakefield Core, Dubai residential market (Q2 2026), Q2 2026 (year on year)). At or below 3: grade 4/4.
- Early warning and emergency plan: An updated, tested plan that names visitors and tourism operators, with warnings in several languages (Dubai Government Media Office / Traveller365, 2026). Grade 4/4.
- Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A plan with named owners, operators and recovery funding (Skift, Dubai turns to new visitors and events to ride out tourism slowdown (June 2026), 2026). Grade 3/4.
- 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.
- Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source such as a tourist tax or levy (Government of Dubai / Executive Council Resolution No. (2) of 2014 & DET, 2025-2026). Grade 2/4.
Country context (World Economic Forum)
- Azerbaijan: #58 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
- United Arab Emirates: #22 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
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