Medan vs Surabaya

Medan leads Surabaya by 7 points on the CIRA Index, 58 to 51. Medan grades better on 3 measures, Surabaya on 6; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Medan 58, Surabaya 51
• OECD: Medan 51, Surabaya 51
• UN Tourism: Medan 59, Surabaya 61
• UNDRR: Medan 41, Surabaya 46

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Medan 45, Surabaya 55
• Economy and jobs: Medan 50, Surabaya 75
• Climate and hazards: Medan 50, Surabaya 30
• Water and environment: Medan 50, Surabaya 50
• Community and housing: Medan 100, Surabaya –
• Access and continuity: Medan 54, Surabaya 58

Where Medan is stronger

• Extreme heat days: 1 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.
• Wildfire and storm hazard: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
• Water scarcity: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.

Where Surabaya is stronger

• Largest foreign market: 31 % of international arrivals or nights (region figure) (BPS Provinsi Jawa Timur, Jan–Jul 2024). Between 30 and 40: grade 1/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 55.4 % average annual occupancy (BPS Kota Surabaya, Perkembangan Tingkat Penghunian Kamar (TPK) Hotel Kota Surabaya, 2024). Between 55 and 65: grade 2/4.
• Jobs in tourism industries: 5 % of employment in accommodation and food services (BPS Kota Surabaya via Katadata Databoks & BPS Keadaan Ketenagakerjaan Kota Surabaya, 2024). At or below 8: grade 4/4.
• Unemployment rate: 4.9 % of the labour force (BPS Kota Surabaya / Pemerintah Kota Surabaya, 2024). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Green space: 22 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (Pemerintah Kota Surabaya (Official City Government Portal), 2022). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: Crisis communication only, ad hoc (Dinas Kebudayaan, Kepemudaan dan Olahraga serta Pariwisata Kota Surabaya / Detikcom, 2024–2025). Grade 1/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Indonesia: #23 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Indonesia: #23 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Medan in full · Surabaya in full

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