Barcelona vs Bilbao

Barcelona leads Bilbao by 1 points on the CIRA Index, 65 to 64. Barcelona grades better on 13 measures, Bilbao on 8; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Barcelona 65, Bilbao 64
• OECD: Barcelona 65, Bilbao 63
• UN Tourism: Barcelona 66, Bilbao 63
• UNDRR: Barcelona 70, Bilbao 57

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Barcelona 71, Bilbao 71
• Economy and jobs: Barcelona 58, Bilbao 75
• Climate and hazards: Barcelona 60, Bilbao 65
• Water and environment: Barcelona 69, Bilbao 63
• Community and housing: Barcelona 45, Bilbao 69
• Access and continuity: Barcelona 75, Bilbao 55

Where Barcelona is stronger

• Nights in the three busiest months: 29.8 % of annual nights (INE (Instituto Nacional de Estadística) / Idescat, Encuesta de Ocupación Hotelera, 2024). At or below 30: grade 4/4.
• Largest foreign market: 12 % of international arrivals or nights (INE, foreign tourists by municipality and country of residence (mobile-phone positioning, table 52048), 2025). At or below 15: grade 4/4.
• Average length of stay: 2.6 nights per visitor (Observatori del Turisme a Barcelona: ciutat i regió (OTB) / UN Tourism INSTO, 2023 Progress Report, 2023). Between 2.2 and 2.8: grade 2/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 80.1 % average annual occupancy (Gremi d'Hotels de Barcelona, Valoració tancament any 2025 i perspectives 2026, 2025). At or above 75: grade 4/4.
• Extreme heat days: 1 days a year at or above 35°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Flood hazard: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 444.3 kg per resident per year (metro figure) (Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona (AMB), 2023). Between 350 and 450: grade 3/4.
• Green space: 35 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (European Environment Agency (EEA) / Climate-ADAPT, 2024). Between 30 and 40: grade 3/4.
• Rail share of intercity access: 20.2 % of intercity passengers travelling by long-distance rail (rail vs rail + airport) (Ministerio de Transportes, Observatorio del Ferrocarril en España 2024 (rail, by city) and Eurostat avia_paoa (airport), 2024). Between 20 and 35: grade 2/4.
• Rail traffic recovery: 141.2 % of 2019 long-distance rail passengers, latest year (Ministerio de Transportes, Observatorio del Ferrocarril en España 2024, passengers by city 2019 and 2024, 2024). At or above 120: grade 4/4.
• Air route concentration: 35.4 % of international air passengers on routes to the 3 largest partner countries (Aena, detailed traffic statistics (passengers by airline, route and country), Sep 2025 – Aug 2026). Between 35 and 50: grade 3/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A written destination crisis plan (Ajuntament de Barcelona - Àrea d'Economia i Promoció Econòmica, 2024–2026). Grade 2/4.
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source partly ring-fenced for residents, infrastructure or sustainability (Generalitat de Catalunya / Ajuntament de Barcelona (Llei 2/2026; Fons de Foment del Turisme), 2026). Grade 3/4.

Where Bilbao is stronger

• Domestic share of nights: 47.3 % of nights by residents of the same country (Ayuntamiento de Bilbao / Bilbao Ekintza, 'Bilbao destino urbano internacional de referencia con turismo sostenible y equilibrado', Jan–Nov 2025). At or above 45: grade 4/4.
• Recovery against 2019: 143.2 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (Bilbao Ekintza / Ayuntamiento de Bilbao and Europa Press, 2025). At or above 110: grade 4/4.
• Tropical nights: 6.6 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). At or below 10: grade 4/4.
• Water scarcity: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Tourism intensity: 7.8 visitor nights per resident per year (Ayuntamiento de Bilbao (Europa Press) & Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), 2025). Between 5 and 10: grade 3/4.
• Cruise pressure: 0.1 cruise passengers in the busiest month per resident (Puertos del Estado, monthly port traffic summaries ("Cuadros resumen", cruise passengers incl. home port and transit), 2025-09). Between 0.1 and 0.3: grade 2/4.
• Rent growth: 3.2 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Idealista, Valoración de inmuebles en Bilbao, Vizcaya, September 2025 – September 2026). Between 3 and 6: grade 3/4.
• Short-let density: 0.8 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (INE via Crónica Vasca / Dataestur, May 2026). Between 0.5 and 1: 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

Barcelona in full · Bilbao in full

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