Edinburgh vs Oslo

Edinburgh leads Oslo by 2 points on the CIRA Index, 82 to 80. Edinburgh grades better on 7 measures, Oslo on 7; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Edinburgh 82, Oslo 80
• OECD: Edinburgh 81, Oslo 78
• UN Tourism: Edinburgh 86, Oslo 81
• UNDRR: Edinburgh 69, Oslo 76

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Edinburgh 85, Oslo 67
• Economy and jobs: Edinburgh 88, Oslo 100
• Climate and hazards: Edinburgh 70, Oslo 95
• Water and environment: Edinburgh 88, Oslo 88
• Community and housing: Edinburgh 75, Oslo 69
• Access and continuity: Edinburgh 79, Oslo 71

Where Edinburgh is stronger

• Average length of stay: 3.5 nights per visitor (VisitScotland, Edinburgh and the Lothians Research (citing IPS and GBTS 2024), 2024). At or above 3.5: grade 4/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 84.2 % average annual occupancy (CoStar / VisitScotland, 2024). At or above 75: grade 4/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 97.2 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (country figure) (United Nations Global SDG Database / WHO / UN-Water, Indicator 6.3.1 Proportion of safely treated domestic wastewater flows, 2022). At or above 95: grade 4/4.
• Rent growth: 1.6 % change in rents over the last 12 months (region figure) (Office for National Statistics, Housing prices in Edinburgh / Price Index of Private Rents, 12 months to August 2026). At or below 3: grade 4/4.
• Short-let density: 0.8 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (BiGGAR Economics / Association of Scotland's Self-Caterers, Economic Impacts of Short-term Lets in Edinburgh, 2024). Between 0.5 and 1: grade 3/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A written destination crisis plan (City of Edinburgh Council, Coalition Commitments Progress Update, 2022–2026). Grade 2/4.
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source partly ring-fenced for residents, infrastructure or sustainability (City of Edinburgh Council, How we're investing the Edinburgh Visitor Levy, 2025–2026). Grade 3/4.

Where Oslo is stronger

• Domestic share of nights: 59.7 % of nights by residents of the same country (Visitory (compiling Statistics Norway / Visit Oslo data), 2024). At or above 45: grade 4/4.
• Flood hazard: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Wildfire and storm hazard: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
• Country disaster risk: 2 INFORM Risk index, 0–10 (country figure) (INFORM Risk (European Commission JRC), INFORM Risk Mid 2026, 2026). At or below 2: grade 4/4.
• Water scarcity: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Tourism intensity: 9.5 visitor nights per resident per year (Statistics Norway (SSB), 2025). Between 5 and 10: 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)

• United Kingdom: #7 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Edinburgh in full · Oslo in full

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