Honolulu vs Philadelphia
Philadelphia leads Honolulu by 1 points on the CIRA Index, 66 to 65. Honolulu grades better on 7 measures, Philadelphia on 6; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.
Scores by each organisation's criteria
- CIRA Index: Honolulu 65, Philadelphia 66
- OECD: Honolulu 64, Philadelphia 66
- UN Tourism: Honolulu 65, Philadelphia 72
- UNDRR: Honolulu 78, Philadelphia 57
Theme by theme
- Demand and seasonality: Honolulu 71, Philadelphia 60
- Economy and jobs: Honolulu 75, Philadelphia 94
- Climate and hazards: Honolulu 50, Philadelphia 50
- Water and environment: Honolulu 50, Philadelphia 69
- Community and housing: Honolulu 38, Philadelphia 58
- Access and continuity: Honolulu 96, Philadelphia 75
Where Honolulu is stronger
- Average length of stay: 7.1 nights per visitor (metro figure) (State of Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT), Monthly Visitor Statistics / 2024 Annual Visitor Research Report, 2024). At or above 3.5: 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.
- Flood hazard: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4.
- Wastewater safely treated: 98.1 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: SDG Indicators Database by United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs), 2024). At or above 95: grade 4/4.
- Early warning and emergency plan: An updated, tested plan that names visitors and tourism operators, with warnings in several languages (City and County of Honolulu Department of Emergency Management, 2025–2026). Grade 4/4.
- 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 Philadelphia is stronger
- 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.
- Tropical nights: 51.6 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Between 30 and 60: grade 2/4.
- Municipal waste per resident: 401.7 kg per resident per year (City of Philadelphia Department of Sanitation / U.S. Census Bureau, 2024). Between 350 and 450: grade 3/4.
- Tourism intensity: 11.2 visitor nights per resident per year (Visit Philadelphia & Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau / U.S. Census Bureau, 2023). Between 10 and 20: grade 2/4.
- Short-let density: 1.1 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (AirDNA & U.S. Census Bureau ACS, 2024–2026). Between 1 and 2: grade 2/4.
- Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (PhilaPort and City of Philadelphia, 2026). At or above 4: grade 4/4.
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 · Philadelphia in full
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