Cape Town vs Windhoek

Cape Town and Windhoek are level on the CIRA Index at 57. Cape Town grades better on 10 measures, Windhoek on 5; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Cape Town 57, Windhoek 57
• OECD: Cape Town 56, Windhoek 52
• UN Tourism: Cape Town 39, Windhoek 51
• UNDRR: Cape Town 57, Windhoek 57

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Cape Town 75, Windhoek 38
• Economy and jobs: Cape Town 13, Windhoek 50
• Climate and hazards: Cape Town 60, Windhoek 60
• Water and environment: Cape Town 13, Windhoek 50
• Community and housing: Cape Town 67, Windhoek 63
• Access and continuity: Cape Town 71, Windhoek 63

Where Cape Town is stronger

• Nights in the three busiest months: 29 % of annual nights (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: UN Tourism by United Nations World Tourism Organization), 2024, 2025 moving average). At or below 30: grade 4/4.
• Domestic share of nights: 57 % of nights by residents of the same country (City of Cape Town - Economic Performance Indicators for Cape Town (EPIC), Q2 2025). At or above 45: grade 4/4.
• 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.
• Income per head: 15,906 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). Between 15,000 and 30,000: grade 1/4.
• Extreme heat days: 1.4 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.
• Tropical nights: 2 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: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4.
• Access redundancy: 3 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (City of Cape Town / PRASA / Transnet Port Authority, 2024–2026). Between 3 and 4: grade 3/4.
• 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.

Where Windhoek is stronger

• Flood hazard: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
• Country disaster risk: 4.2 INFORM Risk index, 0–10 (country figure) (INFORM Risk (European Commission JRC), INFORM Risk Mid 2026, 2026). Between 3.5 and 5: grade 2/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 52.4 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (country figure) (WHO / UN-Habitat via UN SDG Country Profiles, 2024). Between 50 and 70: grade 1/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 170.4 kg per resident per year (The Brief / City of Windhoek, 2024). At or below 350: grade 4/4.
• Short-let density: 0.6 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (AirDNA & Namibia Statistics Agency (2023 Population and Housing Census), 2024-2026). Between 0.5 and 1: grade 3/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• South Africa: #61 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Namibia: #90 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Cape Town in full · Windhoek in full

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