Reykjavík vs Zaragoza

Reykjavík and Zaragoza are level on the CIRA Index at 70. Reykjavík grades better on 14 measures, Zaragoza on 9; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Reykjavík 70, Zaragoza 70
• OECD: Reykjavík 69, Zaragoza 70
• UN Tourism: Reykjavík 63, Zaragoza 80
• UNDRR: Reykjavík 82, Zaragoza 59

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Reykjavík 63, Zaragoza 71
• Economy and jobs: Reykjavík 92, Zaragoza 75
• Climate and hazards: Reykjavík 80, Zaragoza 45
• Water and environment: Reykjavík 50, Zaragoza 100
• Community and housing: Reykjavík 56, Zaragoza 75
• Access and continuity: Reykjavík 88, Zaragoza 70

Where Reykjavík is stronger

• Average length of stay: 6.5 nights per visitor (country figure) (Ferðamálastofa (Icelandic Tourist Board) / Statistics Iceland, 'Tourism in Iceland in Figures - FMS 2024-41', Dec 2023–Nov 2024). At or above 3.5: grade 4/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 77 % average annual occupancy (City of Reykjavík (Reykjavíkurborg), 2023). At or above 75: grade 4/4.
• Unemployment rate: 4.3 % of the labour force (country figure) (Statistics Iceland, Labour market 2025, 2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Income per head: 83,431 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). At or above 60,000: grade 4/4.
• Extreme heat days: 0 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: 0 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). At or below 10: grade 4/4.
• Wildfire and storm hazard: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4.
• Country disaster risk: 1.6 INFORM Risk index, 0–10 (country figure) (INFORM Risk (European Commission JRC), INFORM Risk Mid 2026, 2026). At or below 2: grade 4/4.
• Rent growth: 4.2 % change in rents over the last 12 months (metro figure) (Housing and Construction Authority (HMS) / Húsgreind, Official HMS Rent-Price Index, August 2025 – August 2026). Between 3 and 6: grade 3/4.
• Resident support for tourism: 75 % of residents who say tourism benefits them or the city (metro figure) (City of Reykjavík / Visit Reykjavík, Maskína Survey, April 2025). At or above 70: grade 4/4.
• Early warning and emergency plan: An updated, tested plan that names visitors and tourism operators, with warnings in several languages (Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management (Almannavarnir) & Safetravel Iceland, 2024–2026). Grade 4/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A plan tested in an exercise or a real event, with lessons published (Tourism Cases / CABI & Iceland Review / Almannavarnir, 2023–2024). Grade 4/4.
• Travel advisory: 1 stricter of the US and Canadian government advisory for the country, 1 (normal precautions) to 4 (do not travel) (country figure) (US State Department and Government of Canada travel advisories, 2026-09-29). At or below 1: grade 4/4.
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source partly ring-fenced for residents, infrastructure or sustainability (Icelandic Tourist Board (Ferðamálastofa) / Ministry of Culture and Business Affairs, 2024–2026). Grade 3/4.

Where Zaragoza is stronger

• Nights in the three busiest months: 33.3 % of annual nights (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: UN Tourism by United Nations World Tourism Organization), 2024, 2025 moving average). Between 30 and 35: grade 3/4.
• Domestic share of nights: 70 % of nights by residents of the same country (Ayuntamiento de Zaragoza / Universidad de Zaragoza / INE reported via Heraldo de Aragón, 2024). At or above 45: grade 4/4.
• Largest foreign market: 18.3 % of international arrivals or nights (INE, foreign tourists by municipality and country of residence (mobile-phone positioning, table 52048), 2025). Between 15 and 20: grade 3/4.
• Jobs in tourism industries: 7.1 % of employment in accommodation and food services (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). At or below 8: grade 4/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 99 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (Ayuntamiento de Zaragoza / Interempresas, 2025). At or above 95: grade 4/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 340 kg per resident per year (Heraldo de Aragón (Ayuntamiento de Zaragoza), 2024). At or below 350: grade 4/4.
• Tourism intensity: 3.1 visitor nights per resident per year (Ayuntamiento de Zaragoza / INE, 2024). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Short-let density: 0.3 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (INE via El Diario / Catastro, August 2024). At or below 0.5: grade 4/4.
• Access redundancy: 3 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Invest in Aragón / Gobierno de Aragón, 2024–2026). Between 3 and 4: grade 3/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Iceland: #34 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Spain: #3 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Reykjavík in full · Zaragoza in full

The CIRA Index ranking · City vs city · How the index works · CIRA Studio · Put your city in the pilot