San Sebastián vs Santa Cruz de Tenerife

San Sebastián leads Santa Cruz de Tenerife by 2 points on the CIRA Index, 64 to 62. San Sebastián grades better on 11 measures, Santa Cruz de Tenerife on 7; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: San Sebastián 64, Santa Cruz de Tenerife 62
• OECD: San Sebastián 61, Santa Cruz de Tenerife 62
• UN Tourism: San Sebastián 67, Santa Cruz de Tenerife 58
• UNDRR: San Sebastián 56, Santa Cruz de Tenerife 55

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: San Sebastián 58, Santa Cruz de Tenerife 58
• Economy and jobs: San Sebastián 83, Santa Cruz de Tenerife 75
• Climate and hazards: San Sebastián 60, Santa Cruz de Tenerife 65
• Water and environment: San Sebastián 75, Santa Cruz de Tenerife 50
• Community and housing: San Sebastián 65, Santa Cruz de Tenerife 60
• Access and continuity: San Sebastián 53, Santa Cruz de Tenerife 64

Where San Sebastián is stronger

• Domestic share of nights: 34 % of nights by residents of the same country (Donostia San Sebastián Turismoa, Observatorio Turístico - Balance 2025, 2025). Between 25 and 35: grade 2/4.
• Recovery against 2019: 111.7 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (Donostia San Sebastián Turismoa & Bilbao Turismo / Eustat, 2025). At or above 110: grade 4/4.
• Unemployment rate: 6.3 % of the labour force (Fomento de San Sebastián / Eustat, Barómetro Económico 2024, 2024). Between 5 and 8: grade 3/4.
• Tropical nights: 12.2 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Between 10 and 30: grade 3/4.
• Water scarcity: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 100 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (metro figure) (Mancomunidad de Aguas del Añarbe / Añarbeko Urak, 2024). At or above 95: grade 4/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 455 kg per resident per year (Fundación Cristina Enea / Ayuntamiento de Donostia-San Sebastián, Informe Anual de Sostenibilidad y Clima 2021, 2021). Between 450 and 550: grade 2/4.
• Cruise pressure: 0 cruise passengers in the busiest month per resident (Puertos del Estado, monthly port traffic summaries ("Cuadros resumen", cruise passengers incl. home port and transit), 2025-06). At or below 0: grade 4/4.
• Short-let density: 1.5 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (Ayuntamiento de Donostia / San Sebastián - Open Data & Censo de viviendas INE 2021, 2023). Between 1 and 2: grade 2/4.
• Early warning and emergency plan: An updated city plan with public early warning for heat, flood or fire (Donostiako Udala (Ayuntamiento de Donostia / San Sebastián), 'Plan de Emergencia Municipal' & 'Plan Municipal frente a incendios forestales en Igeldo', 2023–2026). Grade 3/4.
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source such as a tourist tax or levy (Noticias de Gipuzkoa / Ayuntamiento de Donostia, 'Donostia empezará a cobrar el Impuesto Turístico desde el 1 de enero', 2026). Grade 2/4.

Where Santa Cruz de Tenerife is stronger

• Largest foreign market: 28.8 % of international arrivals or nights (INE, foreign tourists by municipality and country of residence (mobile-phone positioning, table 52048), 2025). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4.
• Average length of stay: 2.5 nights per visitor (INE (Instituto Nacional de Estadística) - Encuesta de Ocupación Hotelera via EpData, August 2024). Between 2.2 and 2.8: grade 2/4.
• Wildfire and storm hazard: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Tourism intensity: 2.9 visitor nights per resident per year (INE (Encuesta de Ocupación Hotelera por Puntos Turísticos & Cifras Oficiales de Población / Padrón Municipal), 2023). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Resident support for tourism: 67.9 % of residents who say tourism benefits them or the city (region figure) (Instituto Canario de Estadística (ISTAC), Encuesta de Hábitos y Confianza Socioeconómica (ECOSOC), Q2 2026). Between 60 and 70: grade 3/4.
• Largest airline group share: 18.1 % of airport passengers carried by the largest airline group (Aena, detailed traffic statistics (passengers by airline, route and country), Sep 2025 – Aug 2026). At or below 20: grade 4/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: Crisis communication only, ad hoc (Sociedad de Desarrollo de Santa Cruz de Tenerife / Turismo de Tenerife, 2024). Grade 1/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

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

San Sebastián in full · Santa Cruz de Tenerife in full

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