Houston vs Orlando

Orlando leads Houston by 3 points on the CIRA Index, 70 to 67. Houston grades better on 4 measures, Orlando on 6; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Houston 67, Orlando 70
• OECD: Houston 65, Orlando 70
• UN Tourism: Houston 66, Orlando 75
• UNDRR: Houston 67, Orlando 66

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Houston 75, Orlando 83
• Economy and jobs: Houston 92, Orlando 81
• Climate and hazards: Houston 40, Orlando 45
• Water and environment: Houston 50, Orlando 75
• Community and housing: Houston 67, Orlando 50
• Access and continuity: Houston 79, Orlando 79

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.
• Average length of stay: 11 nights per visitor (metro figure) (Houston First / Visit Houston, The Impact of Overseas Visitation in Houston, 2024). At or above 3.5: 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.
• Early warning and emergency plan: An updated, tested plan that names visitors and tourism operators, with warnings in several languages (City of Houston Office of Emergency Management, 2024–2025). Grade 4/4.

Where Orlando is stronger

• Largest foreign market: 17.4 % of international arrivals or nights (metro figure) (Visit Orlando reported via Travel Weekly & Travelweek, 2025). Between 15 and 20: grade 3/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 71.4 % average annual occupancy (metro figure) (Visit Orlando, Data and Trends, 2025). Between 65 and 75: grade 3/4.
• Unemployment rate: 4.7 % of the labour force (metro figure) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Economy at a Glance: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL, July 2026). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Extreme heat days: 8.8 days a year at or above 35°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Between 5 and 15: grade 3/4.
• Green space: 22 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (USDA Forest Service / City of Atlantic Beach Tree Canopy Assessment (citing Nowak et al.), 2009). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4.
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source plus a reserve or stabilisation fund for downturns (Orange County Comptroller, 2026). 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

Houston in full · Orlando in full

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