Baku vs Mecca
Baku and Mecca are level on the CIRA Index at 60. Baku grades better on 9 measures, Mecca on 12; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.
Scores by each organisation's criteria
- CIRA Index: Baku 60, Mecca 60
- OECD: Baku 55, Mecca 66
- UN Tourism: Baku 60, Mecca 64
- UNDRR: Baku 43, Mecca 69
Theme by theme
- Demand and seasonality: Baku 65, Mecca 80
- Economy and jobs: Baku 69, Mecca 75
- Climate and hazards: Baku 40, Mecca 40
- Water and environment: Baku 50, Mecca 50
- Community and housing: Baku 75, Mecca 75
- Access and continuity: Baku 42, Mecca 71
Where Baku is stronger
- Nights in the three busiest months: 29.4 % 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.
- Jobs in tourism industries: 4.9 % 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.
- Unemployment rate: 5.5 % of the labour force (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). Between 5 and 8: 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 Mecca is stronger
- Domestic share of nights: 43.3 % 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: 63 % average annual occupancy (Insights KSA, Hospitality Trends in Makkah & Madinah (citing STR Global / Ministry of Tourism), 2023). Between 55 and 65: grade 2/4.
- Income per head: 73,784 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). At or above 60,000: grade 4/4.
- Wildfire and storm hazard: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
- Country disaster risk: 3.1 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: 100 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (UN-Habitat & Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs (MoMRA), Future Saudi Cities Programme - CPI Profile Makkah, 2017). At or above 95: grade 4/4.
- 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.
- Government effectiveness: 71.7 World Bank WGI percentile rank, 0–100 (country figure) (World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025). Between 60 and 80: grade 3/4.
- 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)
- Azerbaijan: #58 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
- Saudi Arabia: #29 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
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