Cancún vs Philadelphia

Cancún and Philadelphia are level on the CIRA Index at 66. Cancún grades better on 7 measures, Philadelphia on 10; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Cancún 66, Philadelphia 66
• OECD: Cancún 61, Philadelphia 66
• UN Tourism: Cancún 62, Philadelphia 72
• UNDRR: Cancún 70, Philadelphia 57

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Cancún 75, Philadelphia 60
• Economy and jobs: Cancún 42, Philadelphia 94
• Climate and hazards: Cancún 45, Philadelphia 50
• Water and environment: Cancún 44, Philadelphia 69
• Community and housing: Cancún 75, Philadelphia 58
• Access and continuity: Cancún 83, Philadelphia 75

Where Cancún is stronger

• Largest foreign market: 35.2 % of international arrivals or nights (region figure) (Secretaría de Turismo del Estado de Quintana Roo (SEDETUR) & CPTQ, ¿Cómo vamos en turismo?, 2023). Between 30 and 40: grade 1/4.
• Average length of stay: 5 nights per visitor (Secretaría de Turismo del Estado de Quintana Roo (SEDETUR) via Cancun Tourism Statistics Report, 2019). At or above 3.5: grade 4/4.
• Extreme heat days: 0 days a year at or above 35°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Flood hazard: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4.
• Early warning and emergency plan: An updated, tested plan that names visitors and tourism operators, with warnings in several languages (Secretaría de Turismo de Quintana Roo (SEDETUR) / Guest Assist, 2024). Grade 4/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A plan tested in an exercise or a real event, with lessons published (Gobierno del Estado de Quintana Roo / SEDETUR, 2024). Grade 4/4.
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source partly ring-fenced for residents, infrastructure or sustainability (Municipio de Benito Juárez & Gobierno del Estado de Quintana Roo (Ley de Hacienda / Ley de Derechos), 2024). Grade 3/4.

Where Philadelphia is stronger

• Domestic share of nights: 89.8 % of nights by residents of the same country (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research by World Travel & Tourism Council; Travel & Tourism by World Travel & Tourism Council), 2026). At or above 45: grade 4/4.
• Jobs in tourism industries: 6.3 % of employment in accommodation and food services (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research by World Travel & Tourism Council; Travel & Tourism by World Travel & Tourism Council), 2026). At or below 8: grade 4/4.
• Income per head: 90,027 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). At or above 60,000: grade 4/4.
• Tropical nights: 51.6 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Between 30 and 60: grade 2/4.
• Country disaster risk: 3.3 INFORM Risk index, 0–10 (country figure) (INFORM Risk (European Commission JRC), INFORM Risk Mid 2026, 2026). Between 2 and 3.5: grade 3/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 91.1 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (country figure) (UN-Habitat and World Health Organization (WHO), Progress on Wastewater Treatment (SDG Indicator 6.3.1), 2020). Between 85 and 95: grade 3/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 401.7 kg per resident per year (City of Philadelphia Department of Sanitation / U.S. Census Bureau, 2024). Between 350 and 450: grade 3/4.
• Green space: 20 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (City of Philadelphia Parks & Recreation / University of Vermont Spatial Analysis Lab (Philadelphia Tree Canopy Assessment), 2018). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4.
• Government effectiveness: 84 World Bank WGI percentile rank, 0–100 (country figure) (World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025). At or above 80: grade 4/4.
• 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.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Mexico: #41 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• United States: #2 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Cancún in full · Philadelphia in full

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