Beijing vs Shanghai

Shanghai leads Beijing by 3 points on the CIRA Index, 73 to 70. Beijing grades better on 2 measures, Shanghai on 5; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Beijing 70, Shanghai 73
• OECD: Beijing 64, Shanghai 66
• UN Tourism: Beijing 74, Shanghai 74
• UNDRR: Beijing 59, Shanghai 60

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Beijing 65, Shanghai 80
• Economy and jobs: Beijing 81, Shanghai 75
• Climate and hazards: Beijing 40, Shanghai 35
• Water and environment: Beijing 75, Shanghai 63
• Community and housing: Beijing 100, Shanghai 100
• Access and continuity: Beijing 63, Shanghai 71

Where Beijing is stronger

• Tropical nights: 76 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.
• Green space: 49.8 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (Beijing Municipal Bureau of Statistics & NBS Survey Office in Beijing, Statistical Communiqué on the 2024 National Economic and Social Development of Beijing Municipality, 2024). At or above 40: grade 4/4.

Where Shanghai is stronger

• Largest foreign market: 9.7 % of international arrivals or nights (State Council Information Office / Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism, 2025). At or below 15: grade 4/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 66 % average annual occupancy (Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism (via International Travel & Health Insurance Journal), 2025). Between 65 and 75: grade 3/4.
• Water scarcity: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4.
• Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Shanghai Municipal People's Government & Shanghai Statistical Yearbook, 2024). At or above 4: grade 4/4.
• Early warning and emergency plan: An updated, tested plan that names visitors and tourism operators, with warnings in several languages (China Daily / Shanghai Meteorological Service, 2025). Grade 4/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• China: #8 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• China: #8 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Beijing in full · Shanghai in full

The CIRA Index ranking · City vs city · How the index works · CIRA Studio · Put your city in the pilot