Florence vs Málaga

Málaga leads Florence by 1 points on the CIRA Index, 59 to 58. Florence grades better on 8 measures, Málaga on 10; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Florence 58, Málaga 59
• OECD: Florence 58, Málaga 60
• UN Tourism: Florence 61, Málaga 55
• UNDRR: Florence 56, Málaga 64

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Florence 54, Málaga 75
• Economy and jobs: Florence 92, Málaga 58
• Climate and hazards: Florence 55, Málaga 45
• Water and environment: Florence 56, Málaga 38
• Community and housing: Florence 42, Málaga 56
• Access and continuity: Florence 63, Málaga 73

Where Florence is stronger

• Average length of stay: 2.4 nights per visitor (metro figure) (Centro Studi Turistici di Firenze (CST Firenze) via La Nazione, 2025). Between 2.2 and 2.8: grade 2/4.
• Unemployment rate: 4 % of the labour force (region figure) (IRPET / Istat, Flash Lavoro 63/2025, Q4 2024). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Income per head: 61,826 GDP per capita, USD PPP (metro figure) (OECD Functional Urban Areas (Metropolitan Areas Database), 2021). At or above 60,000: grade 4/4.
• Tropical nights: 28.2 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Between 10 and 30: grade 3/4.
• Water scarcity: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 99 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (metro figure) (Publiacqua (Water Utility of Metropolitan Florence), 2022). At or above 95: grade 4/4.
• Rent growth: -13.8 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Idealista, Evoluzione del prezzo delle case in affitto, Firenze, August 2025 – August 2026). At or below 3: grade 4/4.
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source partly ring-fenced for residents, infrastructure or sustainability (Comune di Firenze, Regolamento per l'applicazione dell'imposta di soggiorno, 2024). Grade 3/4.

Where Málaga is stronger

• Nights in the three busiest months: 29.1 % of annual nights (Turismo y Planificación Costa del Sol, Balance de la situación del sector turístico en Málaga en 2025, 2025). At or below 30: grade 4/4.
• Domestic share of nights: 31.1 % of nights by residents of the same country (Ayuntamiento de Málaga / Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), 2025). Between 25 and 35: grade 2/4.
• Largest foreign market: 17.2 % of international arrivals or nights (INE, foreign tourists by municipality and country of residence (mobile-phone positioning, table 52048), 2025). Between 15 and 20: grade 3/4.
• Recovery against 2019: 129.7 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (Área de Turismo del Ayuntamiento de Málaga & UN Tourism STO Málaga / INE Encuesta de Ocupación Hotelera, 2023). At or above 110: grade 4/4.
• Jobs in tourism industries: 7.1 % of employment in accommodation and food services (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). At or below 8: grade 4/4.
• Extreme heat days: 11 days a year at or above 35°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Between 5 and 15: grade 3/4.
• Tourism intensity: 6.3 visitor nights per resident per year (Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) & Ayuntamiento de Málaga, 2025). Between 5 and 10: grade 3/4.
• Short-let density: 3.2 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (INE (Instituto Nacional de Estadística), 'Medición del número de viviendas turísticas en España y su capacidad', May 2026). Between 2 and 4: grade 1/4.
• Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Ayuntamiento de Málaga - Área de Turismo, Visita Málaga, 2026). At or above 4: grade 4/4.
• Government effectiveness: 83 World Bank WGI percentile rank, 0–100 (country figure) (World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025). At or above 80: grade 4/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Italy: #10 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Spain: #3 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Florence in full · Málaga in full

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