Harare vs Nairobi

Nairobi leads Harare by 3 points on the CIRA Index, 71 to 68. Harare grades better on 6 measures, Nairobi on 5; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Harare 68, Nairobi 71
• OECD: Harare 61, Nairobi 70
• UN Tourism: Harare 61, Nairobi 68
• UNDRR: Harare 51, Nairobi 61

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Harare 75, Nairobi 79
• Economy and jobs: Harare 50, Nairobi 50
• Climate and hazards: Harare 75, Nairobi 65
• Water and environment: Harare 56, Nairobi 63
• Community and housing: Harare 100, Nairobi 100
• Access and continuity: Harare 42, Nairobi 58

Where Harare is stronger

• Nights in the three busiest months: 29.6 % of annual nights (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: UN Tourism by United Nations World Tourism Organization), 2024, 2025 moving average). At or below 30: grade 4/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 51 % average annual occupancy (Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (Domestic Tourism & Strategic Research Division), Tourism Trends and Statistics Report, 2024). Between 45 and 55: grade 1/4.
• Flood hazard: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Country disaster risk: 4.9 INFORM Risk index, 0–10 (country figure) (INFORM Risk (European Commission JRC), INFORM Risk Mid 2026, 2026). Between 3.5 and 5: grade 2/4.
• Water scarcity: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 55 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (country figure) (WHO Data / UN-Water SDG 6.3.1 Monitoring, 2024). Between 50 and 70: grade 1/4.

Where Nairobi is stronger

• Largest foreign market: 12.8 % of international arrivals or nights (country figure) (Tourism Research Institute, Annual Tourism Sector Performance Report 2024, 2024). At or below 15: grade 4/4.
• Green space: 43 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (Husqvarna Urban Green Space Index (HUGSI), 2023). At or above 40: grade 4/4.
• Access redundancy: 3 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Kenya Railways Corporation & Kenya Airports Authority & Kenya National Highways Authority, 2026). Between 3 and 4: grade 3/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: Crisis communication only, ad hoc (Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife Kenya, 2025). Grade 1/4.
• Government effectiveness: 43.4 World Bank WGI percentile rank, 0–100 (country figure) (World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025). Between 40 and 60: grade 2/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Zimbabwe: #101 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Kenya: #77 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Harare in full · Nairobi in full

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