Durban vs Harare

Harare leads Durban by 2 points on the TRAIL Index, 68 to 66. Durban grades better on 5 measures, Harare on 8; the same 37 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• TRAIL Index: Durban 66, Harare 68
• OECD: Durban 62, Harare 61
• UN Tourism: Durban 67, Harare 61
• UNDRR: Durban 60, Harare 51

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Durban 67, Harare 75
• Economy and jobs: Durban 42, Harare 50
• Climate and hazards: Durban 50, Harare 75
• Water and environment: Durban 75, Harare 56
• Community and housing: Durban 75, Harare 100
• Access and continuity: Durban 63, Harare 42

Where Durban is stronger

• Income per head: 15,906 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). Between 15,000 and 30,000: grade 1/4.
• Green space: 62 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (Husqvarna Urban Green Space Insights (HUGSI), 2024). At or above 40: grade 4/4.
• Access redundancy: 3 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (metro figure) (Airports Company South Africa, Transnet Port Terminals / KwaZulu Cruise Terminal, SANRAL, 2024–2026). Between 3 and 4: grade 3/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A plan with named owners, operators and recovery funding (eThekwini Municipality / SAnews, 2025–2026). Grade 3/4.
• Government effectiveness: 45.8 World Bank WGI percentile rank, 0–100 (country figure) (World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025). Between 40 and 60: grade 2/4.

Where Harare is stronger

• Largest foreign market: 20.3 % of international arrivals or nights (country figure) (Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) First Quarter Tourism Performance Report, via The Herald / ATQ News, Q1 2026). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 51 % average annual occupancy (Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (Domestic Tourism & Strategic Research Division), Tourism Trends and Statistics Report, 2024). Between 45 and 55: grade 1/4.
• Unemployment rate: 9.3 % of the labour force (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). Between 8 and 12: grade 2/4.
• Tropical nights: 2.2 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). At or below 10: grade 4/4.
• Flood hazard: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Country disaster risk: 4.9 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.
• Water scarcity: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source such as a tourist tax or levy (Judicial Service Commission / Parliament of Zimbabwe, Tourism Act, 2026). Grade 2/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• South Africa: #61 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Zimbabwe: #101 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Durban in full · Harare in full

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