Istanbul vs İzmir

İzmir leads Istanbul by 5 points on the CIRA Index, 61 to 56. Istanbul grades better on 6 measures, İzmir on 6; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Istanbul 56, İzmir 61
• OECD: Istanbul 55, İzmir 60
• UN Tourism: Istanbul 58, İzmir 72
• UNDRR: Istanbul 49, İzmir 50

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Istanbul 50, İzmir 45
• Economy and jobs: Istanbul 67, İzmir 75
• Climate and hazards: Istanbul 45, İzmir 25
• Water and environment: Istanbul 50, İzmir 75
• Community and housing: Istanbul 58, İzmir 100
• Access and continuity: Istanbul 63, İzmir 63

Where Istanbul is stronger

• Largest foreign market: 10.7 % of international arrivals or nights (region figure) (İstanbul İl Kültür ve Turizm Müdürlüğü, Turizm İstatistikleri Raporu, 2024). At or below 15: grade 4/4.
• Average length of stay: 2.3 nights per visitor (region figure) (Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism (İstanbul İl Kültür ve Turizm Müdürlüğü), Turizm İstatistikleri Raporu, 2023). Between 2.2 and 2.8: grade 2/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 52.8 % average annual occupancy (region figure) (Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism (İstanbul İl Kültür ve Turizm Müdürlüğü), Turizm İstatistikleri Raporu, 2023). Between 45 and 55: grade 1/4.
• Extreme heat days: 2.8 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.
• Tropical nights: 59.8 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: 425.2 kg per resident per year (metro figure) (İSTAÇ / Waste Management Association (WMA), 'How a city of 20 million people manages waste: Istanbul's experience', 2023). Between 350 and 450: grade 3/4.

Where İzmir is stronger

• Domestic share of nights: 70.9 % of nights by residents of the same country (region figure) (Türkiye Turizm Veri Atlası & Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı (KTB), 2025). At or above 45: grade 4/4.
• Income per head: 45,288 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). Between 45,000 and 60,000: grade 3/4.
• Water scarcity: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 98.6 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (metro figure) (İzmir Büyükşehir Belediyesi / TÜİK (Belediye Atıksu Arıtma Tesisleri İstatistikleri), 2021). At or above 95: grade 4/4.
• Rent growth: -11 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Bahçeşehir University Center for Economic and Social Research (BETAM) / sahibinden.com, sahibindex Rental Housing Market Outlook, July 2025 – July 2026). At or below 3: grade 4/4.
• Short-let density: 0.2 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (metro figure) (AirDNA & TÜİK (Turkish Statistical Institute) Population and Housing Survey / Building Census, 2024–2026). At or below 0.5: grade 4/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Turkey: #36 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Turkey: #36 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Istanbul in full · İzmir in full

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