Beijing vs Sapporo

Beijing and Sapporo are level on the TRAIL Index at 70. Beijing grades better on 5 measures, Sapporo on 12; the same 37 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• TRAIL Index: Beijing 70, Sapporo 70
• OECD: Beijing 64, Sapporo 69
• UN Tourism: Beijing 74, Sapporo 80
• UNDRR: Beijing 59, Sapporo 65

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Beijing 65, Sapporo 63
• Economy and jobs: Beijing 81, Sapporo 69
• Climate and hazards: Beijing 40, Sapporo 65
• Water and environment: Beijing 75, Sapporo 100
• Community and housing: Beijing 100, Sapporo 63
• Access and continuity: Beijing 63, Sapporo 75

Where Beijing is stronger

• Largest foreign market: 18.5 % of international arrivals or nights (Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism (via Xinhua), 2024). Between 15 and 20: grade 3/4.
• Jobs in tourism industries: 5.4 % 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.
• Economic diversity: 80.9 % of employment outside accommodation, food, retail and transport (Beijing Municipal Bureau of Statistics, Beijing Fifth National Economic Census Communiqués No. 2 & No. 4 (北京市第五次全国经济普查公报第二号、第四号), 2023). At or above 80: grade 4/4.
• Rent growth: -5.4 % change in rents over the last 12 months (South China Morning Post / China Index Academy, 2024). At or below 3: grade 4/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A written destination crisis plan (Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, 2024). Grade 2/4.

Where Sapporo is stronger

• Nights in the three busiest months: 34.3 % of annual nights (City of Sapporo, 2025年度札幌の観光動向に関する調査結果について, FY2025 (April 2025 – March 2026)). Between 30 and 35: grade 3/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 70.4 % average annual occupancy (Japan Tourism Agency (MLIT), Overnight Travel Statistics Survey (宿泊旅行統計調査), October 2023 – September 2024). Between 65 and 75: grade 3/4.
• Income per head: 35,500 GDP per capita, USD PPP (Harvard Growth Lab, Metroverse Sapporo Economic Composition, 2020). Between 30,000 and 45,000: grade 2/4.
• 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: 25 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.
• 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: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 289.8 kg per resident per year (Ministry of the Environment of Japan (環境省), Survey on Municipal Solid Waste Generation and Disposal (一般廃棄物処理実態調査), 2024). At or below 350: grade 4/4.
• Early warning and emergency plan: An updated, tested plan that names visitors and tourism operators, with warnings in several languages (Sapporo International Communication Plaza Foundation & City of Sapporo, 2025). Grade 4/4.
• Government effectiveness: 99.5 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 (Hokkaido Prefectural Government & City of Sapporo, 2026). Grade 2/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• China: #8 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Japan: #1 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Beijing in full · Sapporo in full

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