Nairobi vs Pretoria

Nairobi leads Pretoria by 3 points on the CIRA Index, 71 to 68. Nairobi grades better on 6 measures, Pretoria on 6; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Nairobi 71, Pretoria 68
• OECD: Nairobi 70, Pretoria 66
• UN Tourism: Nairobi 68, Pretoria 61
• UNDRR: Nairobi 61, Pretoria 64

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Nairobi 79, Pretoria 67
• Economy and jobs: Nairobi 50, Pretoria 42
• Climate and hazards: Nairobi 65, Pretoria 70
• Water and environment: Nairobi 63, Pretoria 63
• Community and housing: Nairobi 100, Pretoria 100
• Access and continuity: Nairobi 58, Pretoria 54

Where Nairobi is stronger

• Largest foreign market: 12.8 % of international arrivals or nights (country figure) (Tourism Research Institute, Annual Tourism Sector Performance Report 2024, 2024). At or below 15: grade 4/4.
• Recovery against 2019: 117.1 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (country figure) (Tourism Research Institute, Annual Tourism Sector Performance Report 2024, 2024). At or above 110: grade 4/4.
• Unemployment rate: 11.4 % of the labour force (Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census Analytical Report on Urbanisation, 2019). Between 8 and 12: grade 2/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 303 kg per resident per year (UN-Habitat Waste Wise Cities Tool (WaCT) Factsheet - Nairobi, Kenya, 2023). At or below 350: grade 4/4.
• Access redundancy: 3 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Kenya Railways Corporation & Kenya Airports Authority & Kenya National Highways Authority, 2026). Between 3 and 4: grade 3/4.
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source such as a tourist tax or levy (Tourism Fund Kenya, 2025). Grade 2/4.

Where Pretoria is stronger

• Nights in the three busiest months: 29 % of annual nights (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: UN Tourism by United Nations World Tourism Organization), 2024, 2025 moving average). At or below 30: grade 4/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 48 % average annual occupancy (Airbtics, Airbnb Revenue in Pretoria: Short-Term Rental Data & Insights, February 2025–January 2026). Between 45 and 55: grade 1/4.
• Income per head: 15,906 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). Between 15,000 and 30,000: grade 1/4.
• Flood hazard: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 52.4 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (country figure) (UN-Water / WHO / SDG 6 Data Portal via UN SDG Country Profiles, 2024). Between 50 and 70: grade 1/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A written destination crisis plan (City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, 2026). Grade 2/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Kenya: #77 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• South Africa: #61 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Nairobi in full · Pretoria in full

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