Córdoba vs Marbella

Marbella leads Córdoba by 3 points on the TRAIL Index, 56 to 53. Córdoba grades better on 7 measures, Marbella on 5; the same 37 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• TRAIL Index: Córdoba 53, Marbella 56
• OECD: Córdoba 54, Marbella 56
• UN Tourism: Córdoba 50, Marbella 54
• UNDRR: Córdoba 58, Marbella 56

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Córdoba 58, Marbella 63
• Economy and jobs: Córdoba 58, Marbella 75
• Climate and hazards: Córdoba 45, Marbella 50
• Water and environment: Córdoba 33, Marbella 42
• Community and housing: Córdoba 58, Marbella 56
• Access and continuity: Córdoba 66, Marbella 58

Where Córdoba is stronger

• Domestic share of nights: 55.6 % of nights by residents of the same country (INE, Encuesta de Ocupación Hotelera, puntos turísticos (monthly, tables 2078 and 2076), 2025). At or above 45: grade 4/4.
• Recovery against 2019: 104.1 % of 2019 visitor nights reached in the latest full year (INE, Encuesta de Ocupación Hotelera, puntos turísticos (monthly, tables 2078 and 2076), 2025 vs 2019). Between 100 and 110: grade 3/4.
• Tropical nights: 70.2 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: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Tourism intensity: 5.2 visitor nights per resident per year (INE, Encuesta de Ocupación Hotelera, puntos turísticos (monthly, tables 2078 and 2076), 2025). Between 5 and 10: grade 3/4.
• Short-let density: 1.6 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (INE (Instituto Nacional de Estadística) via El Día de Córdoba, May 2025). Between 1 and 2: grade 2/4.
• Access redundancy: 2 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Turismo de Córdoba / Aena, 2025–2026). Between 2 and 3: grade 2/4.

Where Marbella is stronger

• Average length of stay: 3.6 nights per visitor (Ayuntamiento de Marbella & INE (Encuesta de Ocupación Hotelera), 2024). At or above 3.5: grade 4/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 66.4 % average annual occupancy (INE via Marbella24horas / Ayuntamiento de Marbella, 2024). Between 65 and 75: grade 3/4.
• Unemployment rate: 10.7 % of the labour force (Instituto de Estadística y Cartografía de Andalucía (IECA), SIMA municipal sheet: Tasa municipal de desempleo, 2025). Between 8 and 12: grade 2/4.
• Extreme heat days: 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.
• Rent growth: 2.4 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Idealista, Valoración de inmuebles en Marbella, Málaga, September 2025–September 2026). At or below 3: grade 4/4.

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

Córdoba in full · Marbella in full

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