Bursa vs Istanbul

Istanbul leads Bursa by 6 points on the TRAIL Index, 56 to 50. Bursa grades better on 4 measures, Istanbul on 6; the same 37 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• TRAIL Index: Bursa 50, Istanbul 56
• OECD: Bursa 52, Istanbul 55
• UN Tourism: Bursa 55, Istanbul 58
• UNDRR: Bursa 44, Istanbul 49

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Bursa 50, Istanbul 50
• Economy and jobs: Bursa 75, Istanbul 67
• Climate and hazards: Bursa 40, Istanbul 45
• Water and environment: Bursa 50, Istanbul 50
• Community and housing: Bursa 50, Istanbul 58
• Access and continuity: Bursa 54, Istanbul 63

Where Bursa is stronger

• Nights in the three busiest months: 31.1 % of annual nights (region figure) (Bursa İl Kültür ve Turizm Müdürlüğü, Bursa Genel Konaklama İstatistikleri (2023), 2023). Between 30 and 35: grade 3/4.
• Domestic share of nights: 73.4 % of nights by residents of the same country (region figure) (Bursa İl Kültür ve Turizm Müdürlüğü / T.C. Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı, 2023). At or above 45: grade 4/4.
• Income per head: 45,288 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). Between 45,000 and 60,000: grade 3/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 96.2 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (TÜİK (Turkish Statistical Institute) via İzmir Metropolitan Municipality / Ege Haber, 2020). At or above 95: grade 4/4.

Where Istanbul is stronger

• Average length of stay: 2.3 nights per visitor (region figure) (Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism (İstanbul İl Kültür ve Turizm Müdürlüğü), Turizm İstatistikleri Raporu, 2023). Between 2.2 and 2.8: grade 2/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 52.8 % average annual occupancy (region figure) (Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism (İstanbul İl Kültür ve Turizm Müdürlüğü), Turizm İstatistikleri Raporu, 2023). Between 45 and 55: grade 1/4.
• Extreme heat days: 2.8 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.
• Green space: 27 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (Husqvarna Urban Green Space Index (HUGSI), 2024). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4.
• Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (State Airports Authority (DHMİ), TCDD Tasimacilik, Galataport Istanbul, General Directorate of Highways (KGM), 2026). At or above 4: grade 4/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: Crisis communication only, ad hoc (Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), 2025). Grade 1/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Turkey: #36 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Turkey: #36 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Bursa in full · Istanbul in full

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