Panama City vs Santo Domingo

Panama City and Santo Domingo are level on the CIRA Index at 58. Panama City grades better on 5 measures, Santo Domingo on 5; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Panama City 58, Santo Domingo 58
• OECD: Panama City 55, Santo Domingo 55
• UN Tourism: Panama City 61, Santo Domingo 51
• UNDRR: Panama City 56, Santo Domingo 58

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Panama City 67, Santo Domingo 71
• Economy and jobs: Panama City 50, Santo Domingo 50
• Climate and hazards: Panama City 40, Santo Domingo 40
• Water and environment: Panama City 58, Santo Domingo 25
• Community and housing: Panama City 42, Santo Domingo 75
• Access and continuity: Panama City 67, Santo Domingo 71

Where Panama City is stronger

• Largest foreign market: 23.6 % of international arrivals or nights (country figure) (Autoridad de Turismo de Panamá (ATP), Jan–Jun 2025). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4.
• Income per head: 43,902 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). Between 30,000 and 45,000: grade 2/4.
• Water scarcity: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 500.1 kg per resident per year (EcoIncinera / Alcaldía de Panamá, Challenges for Panama's Sustainable Development, 2016). Between 450 and 550: grade 2/4.
• Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (GLP International Sales / Panama Canal Authority & Metro de Panamá, 2024). At or above 4: grade 4/4.

Where Santo Domingo is stronger

• Domestic share of nights: 26.7 % of nights by residents of the same country (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). Between 25 and 35: grade 2/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 59.9 % average annual occupancy (metro figure) (Ministerio de Turismo de la República Dominicana (MITUR) / SITUR, Compendio Turístico, 2023). Between 55 and 65: grade 2/4.
• Unemployment rate: 5.3 % of the labour force (country figure) (Banco Central de la República Dominicana, Encuesta Nacional Continua de Fuerza de Trabajo (ENCFT), Q2 2026). Between 5 and 8: grade 3/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A plan with named owners, operators and recovery funding (Ministerio de Turismo de la República Dominicana (MITUR), 2021–2024). Grade 3/4.
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source partly ring-fenced for residents, infrastructure or sustainability (Dirección General de Presupuesto (DIGEPRES) / MITUR, 2025–2026). Grade 3/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Panama: #65 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Dominican Republic: #66 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Panama City in full · Santo Domingo in full

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