Copenhagen vs Helsinki

Copenhagen and Helsinki are level on the CIRA Index at 71. Copenhagen grades better on 6 measures, Helsinki on 10; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Copenhagen 71, Helsinki 71
• OECD: Copenhagen 71, Helsinki 72
• UN Tourism: Copenhagen 69, Helsinki 70
• UNDRR: Copenhagen 73, Helsinki 71

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Copenhagen 75, Helsinki 67
• Economy and jobs: Copenhagen 100, Helsinki 83
• Climate and hazards: Copenhagen 75, Helsinki 80
• Water and environment: Copenhagen 56, Helsinki 63
• Community and housing: Copenhagen 50, Helsinki 83
• Access and continuity: Copenhagen 75, Helsinki 75

Where Copenhagen is stronger

• Recovery against 2019: 124.8 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (metro figure) (VisitDenmark, Destinationsmonitor 2024, 2024). At or above 110: grade 4/4.
• Average length of stay: 2.9 nights per visitor (Wonderful Copenhagen, Status on rail tourism 2025, 2024). Between 2.8 and 3.5: grade 3/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 75 % average annual occupancy (Annordia / Statistics Denmark, Hotel Market Update, 2024). At or above 75: grade 4/4.
• Unemployment rate: 4.3 % of the labour force (Statistics Denmark, Table AUP01 (Fuldtidsledige i pct. af arbejdsstyrken), July 2026). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 98.1 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (country figure) (Statistics Denmark (Danmarks Statistik) and Danish Environmental Protection Agency, Sustainable Development Goals Indicator 6.3.1 - Safely treated wastewater, 2022). At or above 95: grade 4/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A plan with named owners, operators and recovery funding (Wonderful Copenhagen, 2021). Grade 3/4.

Where Helsinki is stronger

• Nights in the three busiest months: 34.8 % of annual nights (Visitory / Statistics Finland, Nordic Tourism in Summer 2024, 2024). Between 30 and 35: grade 3/4.
• Domestic share of nights: 52.2 % of nights by residents of the same country (City of Helsinki & Visitory, 2024). At or above 45: grade 4/4.
• Largest foreign market: 15 % of international arrivals or nights (City of Helsinki / Visitory, Nordic Tourism Trends, 2024). At or below 15: grade 4/4.
• Flood hazard: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4.
• Water scarcity: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 500 kg per resident per year (metro figure) (Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority (HSY), Waste statistics and recycling rates, 2024). Between 450 and 550: grade 2/4.
• Green space: 44 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (Husqvarna Urban Green Space Index (HUGSI), 2024). At or above 40: grade 4/4.
• Tourism intensity: 6.7 visitor nights per resident per year (City of Helsinki (Tourism & Population Statistics), 2024). Between 5 and 10: grade 3/4.
• Short-let density: 0.7 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (Airbtics / City of Helsinki (Kaupunkitieto), 2024–2026). Between 0.5 and 1: grade 3/4.
• 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)

• Denmark: #16 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Finland: #19 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Copenhagen in full · Helsinki in full

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