Cartagena vs Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro leads Cartagena by 1 points on the TRAIL Index, 57 to 56. Cartagena grades better on 7 measures, Rio de Janeiro on 7; the same 37 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• TRAIL Index: Cartagena 56, Rio de Janeiro 57
• OECD: Cartagena 55, Rio de Janeiro 55
• UN Tourism: Cartagena 64, Rio de Janeiro 63
• UNDRR: Cartagena 50, Rio de Janeiro 46

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Cartagena 69, Rio de Janeiro 70
• Economy and jobs: Cartagena 31, Rio de Janeiro 58
• Climate and hazards: Cartagena 40, Rio de Janeiro 40
• Water and environment: Cartagena 83, Rio de Janeiro 69
• Community and housing: Cartagena 50, Rio de Janeiro 38
• Access and continuity: Cartagena 50, Rio de Janeiro 54

Where Cartagena is stronger

• Nights in the three busiest months: 30.4 % 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.
• Largest foreign market: 29.1 % of international arrivals or nights (El Universal / Corpoturismo (Corporación Turismo Cartagena de Indias), 2025). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4.
• Extreme heat days: 3.2 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.
• Flood hazard: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 100 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (Aguas de Cartagena / Cartagena Cómo Vamos (Informe de Calidad de Vida 2025), 2025). At or above 95: grade 4/4.
• Rent growth: 5 % change in rents over the last 12 months (country figure) (DANE (Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística), Boletín técnico IPC, August 2025 – August 2026). Between 3 and 6: grade 3/4.
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source such as a tourist tax or levy (Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo (MINCIT) & FONTUR Colombia, 2024). Grade 2/4.

Where Rio de Janeiro is stronger

• Domestic share of nights: 83.1 % of nights by residents of the same country (City Hall of Rio de Janeiro (SMTUR-Rio, SMDE, and Riotur), 2025). At or above 45: grade 4/4.
• Jobs in tourism industries: 3.1 % 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.
• Unemployment rate: 8.1 % of the labour force (Prefeitura da Cidade do Rio de Janeiro / Secretaria Municipal de Trabalho e Renda (Observatório do Trabalho Carioca / IBGE PNAD Contínua), Q1 2025). Between 8 and 12: grade 2/4.
• Wildfire and storm hazard: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4.
• Country disaster risk: 4.7 INFORM Risk index, 0–10 (country figure) (INFORM Risk (European Commission JRC), INFORM Risk Mid 2026, 2026). Between 3.5 and 5: grade 2/4.
• Short-let density: 1.1 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (AirDNA MarketMinder (Rio De Janeiro) & IBGE Censo Demográfico 2022 (DATA.RIO), 2026). Between 1 and 2: grade 2/4.
• Travel advisory: 2 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). Between 1 and 2: grade 3/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Colombia: #54 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Brazil: #32 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Cartagena in full · Rio de Janeiro in full

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