Honolulu vs Houston

Houston leads Honolulu by 2 points on the CIRA Index, 67 to 65. Honolulu grades better on 6 measures, Houston on 5; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Honolulu 65, Houston 67
• OECD: Honolulu 64, Houston 65
• UN Tourism: Honolulu 65, Houston 66
• UNDRR: Honolulu 78, Houston 67

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Honolulu 71, Houston 75
• Economy and jobs: Honolulu 75, Houston 92
• Climate and hazards: Honolulu 50, Houston 40
• Water and environment: Honolulu 50, Houston 50
• Community and housing: Honolulu 38, Houston 67
• Access and continuity: Honolulu 96, Houston 79

Where Honolulu is stronger

• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 73.3 % average annual occupancy (region figure) (Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) / STR, Inc., Hawaii Hotel Performance Report, 2024). Between 65 and 75: grade 3/4.
• Unemployment rate: 2.8 % of the labour force (metro figure) (State of Hawaiʻi Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT) / U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, July 2026). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Extreme heat days: 0 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: 22 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (Trees for Honolulu's Future / Honolulu Civil Beat, 2025). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A plan tested in an exercise or a real event, with lessons published (Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA), 2023–2025). Grade 4/4.
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source plus a reserve or stabilisation fund for downturns (City and County of Honolulu & State of Hawaii Department of Budget and Finance, 2024–2026). Grade 4/4.

Where Houston is stronger

• Recovery against 2019: 110 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (Houston First Corporation / Tourism Economics, 2024). At or above 110: grade 4/4.
• Jobs in tourism industries: 6.3 % 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.
• Tourism intensity: 10.9 visitor nights per resident per year (Houston First Corporation & City of Houston Facts & Figures, 2024). Between 10 and 20: grade 2/4.
• Rent growth: -2.5 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Apartment List, Houston Rent Report: September 2026, August 2025–August 2026). At or below 3: grade 4/4.
• Short-let density: 1.6 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (AirDNA & U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Houston city, Texas, August 2026). Between 1 and 2: grade 2/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• United States: #2 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• United States: #2 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Honolulu in full · Houston in full

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