Bratislava vs San Sebastián

Bratislava and San Sebastián are level on the CIRA Index at 64. Bratislava grades better on 8 measures, San Sebastián on 6; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Bratislava 64, San Sebastián 64
• OECD: Bratislava 63, San Sebastián 61
• UN Tourism: Bratislava 65, San Sebastián 67
• UNDRR: Bratislava 66, San Sebastián 56

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Bratislava 42, San Sebastián 58
• Economy and jobs: Bratislava 92, San Sebastián 83
• Climate and hazards: Bratislava 83, San Sebastián 60
• Water and environment: Bratislava 58, San Sebastián 75
• Community and housing: Bratislava 58, San Sebastián 65
• Access and continuity: Bratislava 71, San Sebastián 53

Where Bratislava is stronger

• Domestic share of nights: 37.9 % of nights by residents of the same country (Bratislava Tourist Board (BTB) & Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2023). Between 35 and 45: grade 3/4.
• Largest foreign market: 15.1 % of international arrivals or nights (Bratislava Tourist Board (BTB) & Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2023). Between 15 and 20: grade 3/4.
• Unemployment rate: 2.3 % of the labour force (region figure) (EURES / Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic / Eurostat, 2023). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Green space: 50 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (Husqvarna Urban Green Space Index (HUGSI), 2023). At or above 40: grade 4/4.
• Tourism intensity: 4.6 visitor nights per resident per year (Bratislava Tourist Board & Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, 2023). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Bratislava Airport / ŽSR / LOD.sk / NDS, 2026). At or above 4: grade 4/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: Crisis communication only, ad hoc (Bratislava Tourist Board & City of Bratislava (Bratislava 2030 Strategic Framework), 2024). Grade 1/4.
• Travel advisory: 1 stricter of the US and Canadian government advisory for the country, 1 (normal precautions) to 4 (do not travel) (country figure) (US State Department and Government of Canada travel advisories, 2026-09-29). At or below 1: grade 4/4.

Where San Sebastián is stronger

• Recovery against 2019: 111.7 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (Donostia San Sebastián Turismoa & Bilbao Turismo / Eustat, 2025). At or above 110: grade 4/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 74.3 % average annual occupancy (ADEGI / Eustat, Informe de Evolución del Turismo en establecimientos hoteleros de Gipuzkoa. Año 2024, 2024). Between 65 and 75: grade 3/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 100 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (metro figure) (Mancomunidad de Aguas del Añarbe / Añarbeko Urak, 2024). At or above 95: grade 4/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 455 kg per resident per year (Fundación Cristina Enea / Ayuntamiento de Donostia-San Sebastián, Informe Anual de Sostenibilidad y Clima 2021, 2021). Between 450 and 550: grade 2/4.
• Rent growth: -4.8 % change in rents over the last 12 months (idealista, August 2025 – August 2026). At or below 3: grade 4/4.
• Government effectiveness: 83 World Bank WGI percentile rank, 0–100 (country figure) (World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025). At or above 80: grade 4/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Slovakia: #60 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Spain: #3 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Bratislava in full · San Sebastián in full

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