Canberra vs Sydney

Sydney leads Canberra by 4 points on the CIRA Index, 75 to 71. Canberra grades better on 6 measures, Sydney on 6; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Canberra 71, Sydney 75
• OECD: Canberra 73, Sydney 75
• UN Tourism: Canberra 73, Sydney 73
• UNDRR: Canberra 69, Sydney 71

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Canberra 75, Sydney 85
• Economy and jobs: Canberra 100, Sydney 94
• Climate and hazards: Canberra 75, Sydney 90
• Water and environment: Canberra 75, Sydney 75
• Community and housing: Canberra 50, Sydney 25
• Access and continuity: Canberra 67, Sydney 71

Where Canberra is stronger

• Domestic share of nights: 72.9 % of nights by residents of the same country (region figure) (ACT Government / VisitCanberra (Tourism Research Australia National & International Visitor Surveys), YE March 2023). At or above 45: grade 4/4.
• Economic diversity: 80.2 % of employment outside accommodation, food, retail and transport (region figure) (id.community / Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Canberra Region Joint Organisation (CRJO) Industry Sector of Employment, 2024). At or above 80: grade 4/4.
• Tropical nights: 0 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). At or below 10: grade 4/4.
• Water scarcity: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Rent growth: 3.2 % change in rents over the last 12 months (CoreLogic / Cotality via OpenAgent, 12 months to August 2026). Between 3 and 6: grade 3/4.
• Short-let density: 1.2 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (AirDNA via The Canberra Times / BNBCalc and Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census, May 2026). Between 1 and 2: grade 2/4.

Where Sydney is stronger

• Average length of stay: 13.7 nights per visitor (NSW Government / Tourism Research Australia via 150 Day Street Planning Report, 2023/24). At or above 3.5: grade 4/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 76.9 % average annual occupancy (STR / Savills Australian Hotel Market Outlook Q3 2024, Jan–Sep 2024). At or above 75: grade 4/4.
• Flood hazard: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Wildfire and storm hazard: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 400 kg per resident per year (metro figure) (NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA), Local Government Waste Data Survey 2024–25, 2024–25). Between 350 and 450: grade 3/4.
• Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (metro figure) (Transport for NSW / Port Authority of NSW / Sydney Airport, 2024). At or above 4: grade 4/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Australia: #4 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Australia: #4 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Canberra in full · Sydney in full

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