Cape Town vs Johannesburg

Johannesburg leads Cape Town by 10 points on the CIRA Index, 67 to 57. Cape Town grades better on 4 measures, Johannesburg on 5; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Cape Town 57, Johannesburg 67
• OECD: Cape Town 56, Johannesburg 64
• UN Tourism: Cape Town 39, Johannesburg 63
• UNDRR: Cape Town 57, Johannesburg 57

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Cape Town 75, Johannesburg 63
• Economy and jobs: Cape Town 13, Johannesburg 50
• Climate and hazards: Cape Town 60, Johannesburg 70
• Water and environment: Cape Town 13, Johannesburg 63
• Community and housing: Cape Town 67, Johannesburg 92
• Access and continuity: Cape Town 71, Johannesburg 54

Where Cape Town is stronger

• Largest foreign market: 14.7 % of international arrivals or nights (Cape Town Tourism - Economic Value of Tourism Report, 2025). At or below 15: grade 4/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 61.7 % average annual occupancy (Cape Town Tourism, Economic Value of Tourism 2025 Report, 2025). Between 55 and 65: grade 2/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A plan tested in an exercise or a real event, with lessons published (Western Cape Government / African Centre for Cities / CPUT, 2021–2024). Grade 4/4.
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source such as a tourist tax or levy (Tourism Marketing South Africa (TOMSA) / Cape Town Tourism, 2024–2026). Grade 2/4.

Where Johannesburg is stronger

• Flood hazard: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 291.5 kg per resident per year (metro figure) (Pikitup Johannesburg SOC Ltd & Statistics South Africa, 2022–2025). At or below 350: grade 4/4.
• Green space: 42 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (Husqvarna Urban Green Space Index (HUGSI), 2024). At or above 40: grade 4/4.
• Rent growth: 4.4 % change in rents over the last 12 months (region figure) (PayProp, PayProp Rental Index, Q2 2026). Between 3 and 6: grade 3/4.
• Short-let density: 0.4 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (metro figure) (AirDNA & Statistics South Africa (Census 2022), 2022–2026). At or below 0.5: grade 4/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• South Africa: #61 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• South Africa: #61 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Cape Town in full · Johannesburg in full

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