Seoul vs Shanghai

Seoul leads Shanghai by 2 points on the CIRA Index, 75 to 73. Seoul grades better on 13 measures, Shanghai on 5; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Seoul 75, Shanghai 73
• OECD: Seoul 73, Shanghai 66
• UN Tourism: Seoul 78, Shanghai 74
• UNDRR: Seoul 75, Shanghai 60

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Seoul 75, Shanghai 80
• Economy and jobs: Seoul 92, Shanghai 75
• Climate and hazards: Seoul 60, Shanghai 35
• Water and environment: Seoul 81, Shanghai 63
• Community and housing: Seoul 58, Shanghai 100
• Access and continuity: Seoul 83, Shanghai 71

Where Seoul is stronger

• Nights in the three busiest months: 28.2 % 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: 79 % average annual occupancy (Cushman & Wakefield via The Korea JoongAng Daily, 2025). At or above 75: grade 4/4.
• Income per head: 55,697 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank / CEIC, 2025). Between 45,000 and 60,000: grade 3/4.
• Extreme heat days: 3.4 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: 73.2 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Between 60 and 100: grade 1/4.
• Flood hazard: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4.
• Country disaster risk: 2 INFORM Risk index, 0–10 (country figure) (INFORM Risk (European Commission JRC), INFORM Risk Mid 2026, 2026). At or below 2: grade 4/4.
• Water scarcity: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
• Green space: 31 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (Husqvarna Urban Green Space Index (HUGSI), 2025). Between 30 and 40: grade 3/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A plan with named owners, operators and recovery funding (Seoul Metropolitan Government & Seoul Tourism Organization (STO), 2025–2026). Grade 3/4.
• Government effectiveness: 91 World Bank WGI percentile rank, 0–100 (country figure) (World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025). At or above 80: 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 such as a tourist tax or levy (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) & The Korea Herald, 2024–2026). Grade 2/4.

Where Shanghai is stronger

• Domestic share of nights: 88 % 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). At or above 45: grade 4/4.
• Largest foreign market: 9.7 % of international arrivals or nights (State Council Information Office / Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism, 2025). At or below 15: grade 4/4.
• Tourism intensity: 0.2 visitor nights per resident per year (Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism / Xinhua & Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Statistics, 2024). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Rent growth: 1.3 % change in rents over the last 12 months (China Real Estate Index System (CREIS) via Global Property Guide, August 2026). At or below 3: grade 4/4.
• Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Shanghai Municipal People's Government & Shanghai Statistical Yearbook, 2024). At or above 4: grade 4/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• South Korea: #12 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• China: #8 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Seoul in full · Shanghai in full

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