George Town vs Incheon

George Town and Incheon are level on the CIRA Index at 71. George Town grades better on 8 measures, Incheon on 9; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: George Town 71, Incheon 71
• OECD: George Town 70, Incheon 69
• UN Tourism: George Town 77, Incheon 78
• UNDRR: George Town 69, Incheon 69

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: George Town 71, Incheon 54
• Economy and jobs: George Town 67, Incheon 88
• Climate and hazards: George Town 55, Incheon 55
• Water and environment: George Town 88, Incheon 81
• Community and housing: George Town 75, Incheon 88
• Access and continuity: George Town 75, Incheon 79

Where George Town is stronger

• Recovery against 2019: 115.9 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (region figure) (Penang State Government / Tourism Malaysia, cited in State of Penang Tourism 2026 and Focus Malaysia, 2024). At or above 110: grade 4/4.
• Average length of stay: 2.5 nights per visitor (region figure) (Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), Domestic Tourism Survey (States) 2024, 2024). Between 2.2 and 2.8: grade 2/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 62.6 % average annual occupancy (region figure) (Tourism Malaysia / Penang State Government, 2024). Between 55 and 65: grade 2/4.
• Wildfire and storm hazard: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
• Water scarcity: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 368.7 kg per resident per year (Buletin Mutiara (Penang State Government), 2024). Between 350 and 450: grade 3/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A plan with named owners, operators and recovery funding (Penang State Government / George Town World Heritage Incorporated, 2021-2030). Grade 3/4.
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source such as a tourist tax or levy (Free Malaysia Today / The Straits Times, 2024-2025). Grade 2/4.

Where Incheon is stronger

• Largest foreign market: 30 % of international arrivals or nights (country figure) (Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), 2024 Korea Tourism Statistics, 2024). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4.
• Jobs in tourism industries: 5.4 % of employment in accommodation and food services (Statistics Korea (KOSIS), Regional Employment Survey (시도/산업별 취업자), 2024 (H1)). At or below 8: grade 4/4.
• Tropical nights: 73.6 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Between 60 and 100: grade 1/4.
• 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.
• Wastewater safely treated: 97.4 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (Ministry of Environment / Statistics Korea (KOSIS), Sewerage Statistics, 2024). At or above 95: grade 4/4.
• Short-let density: 0.1 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (AirDNA & Statistics Korea (KOSIS Population and Housing Census), August 2026). At or below 0.5: grade 4/4.
• Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Incheon Metropolitan City & Incheon International Airport Corporation, 2024–2026). At or above 4: grade 4/4.
• Early warning and emergency plan: An updated, tested plan that names visitors and tourism operators, with warnings in several languages (Ministry of the Interior and Safety & Incheon Metropolitan City, 2024–2026). Grade 4/4.
• Government effectiveness: 91 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)

• Malaysia: #26 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• South Korea: #12 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

George Town in full · Incheon in full

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