Dubai vs Sharjah

Dubai and Sharjah are level on the CIRA Index at 60. Dubai grades better on 7 measures, Sharjah on 2; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Dubai 60, Sharjah 60
• OECD: Dubai 70, Sharjah 64
• UN Tourism: Dubai 68, Sharjah 65
• UNDRR: Dubai 65, Sharjah 59

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Dubai 88, Sharjah 67
• Economy and jobs: Dubai 88, Sharjah 81
• Climate and hazards: Dubai 35, Sharjah 35
• Water and environment: Dubai 44, Sharjah 42
• Community and housing: Dubai 83, Sharjah 100
• Access and continuity: Dubai 75, Sharjah 63

Where Dubai is stronger

• Domestic share of nights: 21.2 % 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). Between 15 and 25: grade 1/4.
• Largest foreign market: 11 % of international arrivals or nights (Emirates NBD Research & Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), 2024). At or below 15: grade 4/4.
• Average length of stay: 3.7 nights per visitor (Public Debt Management Office, Dubai’s Tourism industry Achieves Third successive Record-breaking Year, 2025). At or above 3.5: grade 4/4.
• Jobs in tourism industries: 5.2 % of employment in accommodation and food services (Dubai Statistics Center, employed persons by main economic activity (Labour Force Survey), 2019). At or below 8: grade 4/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 401.5 kg per resident per year (Government of Dubai Media Office / Dubai Municipality, 2021). Between 350 and 450: grade 3/4.
• Early warning and emergency plan: An updated, tested plan that names visitors and tourism operators, with warnings in several languages (Dubai Government Media Office / Traveller365, 2026). Grade 4/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A plan with named owners, operators and recovery funding (Skift, Dubai turns to new visitors and events to ride out tourism slowdown (June 2026), 2026). Grade 3/4.

Where Sharjah is stronger

• Wastewater safely treated: 95 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (country figure) (WHO Data Portal / UN-Water SDG 6.3.1 Monitoring, 2024). At or above 95: grade 4/4.
• Tourism intensity: 2.3 visitor nights per resident per year (region figure) (Cavendish Maxwell / Gulf News & Department of Statistics and Community Development (DSCD) Sharjah, 2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• United Arab Emirates: #22 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• United Arab Emirates: #22 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Dubai in full · Sharjah in full

The CIRA Index ranking · City vs city · How the index works · CIRA Studio · Put your city in the pilot