Dammam vs Riyadh

Riyadh leads Dammam by 2 points on the TRAIL Index, 59 to 57. Dammam grades better on 3 measures, Riyadh on 5; the same 37 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• TRAIL Index: Dammam 57, Riyadh 59
• OECD: Dammam 59, Riyadh 62
• UN Tourism: Dammam 53, Riyadh 52
• UNDRR: Dammam 41, Riyadh 57

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Dammam 90, Riyadh 85
• Economy and jobs: Dammam 94, Riyadh 88
• Climate and hazards: Dammam 35, Riyadh 50
• Water and environment: Dammam 19, Riyadh 19
• Community and housing: Dammam 67, Riyadh 67
• Access and continuity: Dammam 50, Riyadh 57

Where Dammam is stronger

• Jobs in tourism industries: 5 % of employment in accommodation and food services (region figure) (Asharqia Chamber / General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), Workforce numbers in the Eastern Province by economic activity, Q2 2025). At or below 8: grade 4/4.
• Rent growth: 3.5 % change in rents over the last 12 months (country figure) (General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), Consumer Price Index, September 2026). Between 3 and 6: grade 3/4.
• Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Saudipedia & Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani), 2025–2026). At or above 4: grade 4/4.

Where Riyadh is stronger

• Flood hazard: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
• Wildfire and storm hazard: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Tourism intensity: 17.1 visitor nights per resident per year (region figure) (Ministry of Tourism (Annual Statistical Report 2025) and GASTAT (Saudi Census 2022), 2025). Between 10 and 20: grade 2/4.
• Early warning and emergency plan: An updated city plan with public early warning for heat, flood or fire (Riyadh Municipality Portal / Saudi General Directorate of Civil Defense, 2025–2026). Grade 3/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: Crisis communication only, ad hoc (GCC Tourism Ministerial Meeting / UN Tourism / Arabian Travel Market, 2026). Grade 1/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Saudi Arabia: #29 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Saudi Arabia: #29 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Dammam in full · Riyadh in full

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