Benidorm vs Marbella

Marbella leads Benidorm by 5 points on the CIRA Index, 56 to 51. Benidorm grades better on 5 measures, Marbella on 8; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Benidorm 51, Marbella 56
• OECD: Benidorm 52, Marbella 56
• UN Tourism: Benidorm 49, Marbella 54
• UNDRR: Benidorm 55, Marbella 56

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Benidorm 71, Marbella 63
• Economy and jobs: Benidorm 67, Marbella 75
• Climate and hazards: Benidorm 45, Marbella 50
• Water and environment: Benidorm 38, Marbella 42
• Community and housing: Benidorm 25, Marbella 56
• Access and continuity: Benidorm 58, Marbella 58

Where Benidorm is stronger

• Domestic share of nights: 32.2 % of nights by residents of the same country (Visit Benidorm / Ayuntamiento de Benidorm, Informe Anual de Turismo presentado en FITUR 2026, 2025). Between 25 and 35: grade 2/4.
• Recovery against 2019: 132.1 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (Visit Benidorm / Ayuntamiento de Benidorm, 2024). At or above 110: grade 4/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 82.2 % average annual occupancy (Fundación Visit Benidorm / HOSBEC, 2025). At or above 75: grade 4/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 100 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (Ayuntamiento de Benidorm & Generalitat Valenciana (EPSAR), 2024). At or above 95: grade 4/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A written destination crisis plan (Smart Travel News / Ayuntamiento de Benidorm, 2020–2024). Grade 2/4.

Where Marbella is stronger

• Largest foreign market: 25.1 % of international arrivals or nights (INE, foreign tourists by municipality and country of residence (mobile-phone positioning, table 52048), 2025). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4.
• Income per head: 59,868 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). Between 45,000 and 60,000: grade 3/4.
• Flood hazard: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 609.6 kg per resident per year (Mancomunidad de Municipios de la Costa del Sol Occidental / Complejo Ambiental Costa del Sol, 2025). Between 550 and 700: grade 1/4.
• Tourism intensity: 16.3 visitor nights per resident per year (Ayuntamiento de Marbella / Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), 2024). Between 10 and 20: grade 2/4.
• Rent growth: 2.4 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Idealista, Valoración de inmuebles en Marbella, Málaga, September 2025–September 2026). At or below 3: grade 4/4.
• Largest airline group share: 32.1 % of airport passengers carried by the largest airline group (metro figure) (Aena, detailed traffic statistics (passengers by airline, route and country), Sep 2025 – Aug 2026). Between 30 and 40: grade 2/4.
• Air route concentration: 43 % of international air passengers on routes to the 3 largest partner countries (metro figure) (Aena, detailed traffic statistics (passengers by airline, route and country), Sep 2025 – Aug 2026). Between 35 and 50: 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

Benidorm in full · Marbella in full

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