Barcelona vs Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Barcelona leads Santa Cruz de Tenerife by 3 points on the CIRA Index, 65 to 62. Barcelona grades better on 13 measures, Santa Cruz de Tenerife on 8; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Barcelona 65, Santa Cruz de Tenerife 62
• OECD: Barcelona 65, Santa Cruz de Tenerife 62
• UN Tourism: Barcelona 66, Santa Cruz de Tenerife 58
• UNDRR: Barcelona 70, Santa Cruz de Tenerife 55

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Barcelona 71, Santa Cruz de Tenerife 58
• Economy and jobs: Barcelona 58, Santa Cruz de Tenerife 75
• Climate and hazards: Barcelona 60, Santa Cruz de Tenerife 65
• Water and environment: Barcelona 69, Santa Cruz de Tenerife 50
• Community and housing: Barcelona 45, Santa Cruz de Tenerife 60
• Access and continuity: Barcelona 75, Santa Cruz de Tenerife 64

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.
• 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.
• Flood hazard: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
• Water scarcity: 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.
• Cruise pressure: 0.3 cruise passengers in the busiest month per resident (Puertos del Estado, monthly port traffic summaries ("Cuadros resumen", cruise passengers incl. home port and transit), 2025-05). Between 0.3 and 0.5: grade 1/4.
• Short-let density: 1.3 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (Ajuntament de Barcelona & Inside Airbnb / Mabrian, 2024). Between 1 and 2: grade 2/4.
• Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Port de Barcelona / Aena / Renfe / Mitma, 2026). At or above 4: 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.
• Early warning and emergency plan: An updated city plan with public early warning for heat, flood or fire (Ajuntament de Barcelona - Protecció Civil, 2025–2026). 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 Santa Cruz de Tenerife is stronger

• Domestic share of nights: 19.6 % of nights by residents of the same country (region figure) (Turismo de Tenerife, Balance de la Situación Turística de Tenerife 2025 (ISTAC), 2025). Between 15 and 25: grade 1/4.
• Economic diversity: 76 % of employment outside accommodation, food, retail and transport (region figure) (Observatorio Turístico de Canarias (ISTAC), Informe de Sostenibilidad del Turismo en Canarias 2023, 2023). Between 72 and 80: grade 3/4.
• Wildfire and storm hazard: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 86 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (region figure) (Cabildo de Tenerife, Plenary Statement by President Rosa Dávila, 2026). Between 85 and 95: grade 3/4.
• Tourism intensity: 2.9 visitor nights per resident per year (INE (Encuesta de Ocupación Hotelera por Puntos Turísticos & Cifras Oficiales de Población / Padrón Municipal), 2023). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Rent growth: -1.1 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Fotocasa (reported by elEconomista), February 2025 – February 2026). At or below 3: grade 4/4.
• Resident support for tourism: 67.9 % of residents who say tourism benefits them or the city (region figure) (Instituto Canario de Estadística (ISTAC), Encuesta de Hábitos y Confianza Socioeconómica (ECOSOC), Q2 2026). Between 60 and 70: grade 3/4.
• Largest airline group share: 18.1 % of airport passengers carried by the largest airline group (Aena, detailed traffic statistics (passengers by airline, route and country), Sep 2025 – Aug 2026). At or below 20: grade 4/4.

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 · Santa Cruz de Tenerife in full

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