Boston vs Ottawa

Boston and Ottawa are level on the CIRA Index at 75. Boston grades better on 8 measures, Ottawa on 4; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Boston 75, Ottawa 75
• OECD: Boston 76, Ottawa 73
• UN Tourism: Boston 74, Ottawa 74
• UNDRR: Boston 65, Ottawa 68

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Boston 85, Ottawa 55
• Economy and jobs: Boston 100, Ottawa 92
• Climate and hazards: Boston 65, Ottawa 70
• Water and environment: Boston 56, Ottawa 69
• Community and housing: Boston 63, Ottawa 92
• Access and continuity: Boston 83, Ottawa 79

Where Boston is stronger

• Nights in the three busiest months: 28.5 % of annual nights (metro figure) (Meet Boston, Hotel Statistics (Pinnacle Advisory Group), 2024). At or below 30: grade 4/4.
• Largest foreign market: 22.8 % of international arrivals or nights (Stay In Boston / Meet Boston (Tourism Economics), 2024). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 77.3 % average annual occupancy (metro figure) (Meet Boston, Hotel Statistics (Pinnacle Advisory Group), 2025). At or above 75: grade 4/4.
• Unemployment rate: 4.3 % of the labour force (metro figure) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment, July 2026). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 91.1 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (country figure) (UN-Habitat & WHO (SDG 6.3.1 Progress Report), 2020). Between 85 and 95: grade 3/4.
• Rent growth: 1.3 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Apartment List, Boston, MA Rent Report (September 2026), August 2025–August 2026). At or below 3: grade 4/4.
• Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Massport / Amtrak / MassDOT, 2026). At or above 4: grade 4/4.
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source plus a reserve or stabilisation fund for downturns (Commonwealth of Massachusetts / Meet Boston, Tourism & Hospitality Rapid Recovery Plan, 2022–2026). Grade 4/4.

Where Ottawa is stronger

• Flood hazard: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 249 kg per resident per year (region figure) (Statistics Canada, Waste Management Survey, 2024). At or below 350: grade 4/4.
• Short-let density: 0.5 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (AirDNA / Statistics Canada (2021 Census), 2026). At or below 0.5: grade 4/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A written destination crisis plan (Ottawa Tourism, Destination Stewardship Plan, 2025–2026). Grade 2/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• United States: #2 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Canada: #14 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Boston in full · Ottawa in full

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