George Town vs Kuala Lumpur

George Town leads Kuala Lumpur by 7 points on the CIRA Index, 71 to 64. George Town grades better on 8 measures, Kuala Lumpur on 0; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: George Town 71, Kuala Lumpur 64
• OECD: George Town 70, Kuala Lumpur 61
• UN Tourism: George Town 77, Kuala Lumpur 73
• UNDRR: George Town 69, Kuala Lumpur 59

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: George Town 71, Kuala Lumpur 63
• Economy and jobs: George Town 67, Kuala Lumpur 75
• Climate and hazards: George Town 55, Kuala Lumpur 50
• Water and environment: George Town 88, Kuala Lumpur 81
• Community and housing: George Town 75, Kuala Lumpur 50
• Access and continuity: George Town 75, Kuala Lumpur 67

Where George Town is stronger

• Domestic share of nights: 60.4 % of nights by residents of the same country (region figure) (Penang State Government / Tourism Malaysia, via InfoTourism Malaysia, 2025). At or above 45: grade 4/4.
• Largest foreign market: 37.9 % of international arrivals or nights (region figure) (Penang State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee / Immigration Department of Malaysia (Penang branch), via Buletin Mutiara, 2024). Between 30 and 40: grade 1/4.
• Income per head: 55,891 GDP per capita, USD PPP (region figure) (Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by State, 2024 & World Bank International Comparison Program, 2024). Between 45,000 and 60,000: grade 3/4.
• Extreme heat days: 0.8 days a year at or above 35°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Green space: 47.3 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (Penang Island City Council (MBPP) / The Vibes, 2024). At or above 40: grade 4/4.
• Tourism intensity: 4.6 visitor nights per resident per year (region figure) (Penang State Government / Tourism Malaysia & Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), 2024). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Short-let density: 1.9 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (AirDNA and Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), 2024). Between 1 and 2: grade 2/4.
• 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.

Where Kuala Lumpur is stronger

Country context (World Economic Forum)

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

George Town in full · Kuala Lumpur in full

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