Helsinki vs Madrid

Helsinki and Madrid are level on the TRAIL Index at 71. Helsinki grades better on 11 measures, Madrid on 7; the same 37 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• TRAIL Index: Helsinki 71, Madrid 71
• OECD: Helsinki 72, Madrid 72
• UN Tourism: Helsinki 70, Madrid 75
• UNDRR: Helsinki 71, Madrid 68

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Helsinki 67, Madrid 75
• Economy and jobs: Helsinki 83, Madrid 81
• Climate and hazards: Helsinki 80, Madrid 50
• Water and environment: Helsinki 63, Madrid 75
• Community and housing: Helsinki 83, Madrid 75
• Access and continuity: Helsinki 75, Madrid 75

Where Helsinki is stronger

• Domestic share of nights: 52.2 % of nights by residents of the same country (City of Helsinki & Visitory, 2024). At or above 45: grade 4/4.
• Income per head: 70,915 GDP per capita, USD PPP (region figure) (OECD Regional Statistics via OECD.Stats, 2022). At or above 60,000: grade 4/4.
• Extreme heat days: 0 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.
• Tropical nights: 2.8 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.
• Wildfire and storm hazard: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4.
• Country disaster risk: 2 INFORM Risk index, 0–10 (country figure) (INFORM Risk (European Commission JRC), INFORM Risk Mid 2026, 2026). At or below 2: grade 4/4.
• Water scarcity: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
• Green space: 44 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (Husqvarna Urban Green Space Index (HUGSI), 2024). At or above 40: grade 4/4.
• Rent growth: 0.1 % change in rents over the last 12 months (country figure) (Statistics Finland, Rents of dwellings, 2026 Q2). At or below 3: grade 4/4.
• Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (metro figure) (City of Helsinki / Helsinki Region Transport / Finavia / Port of Helsinki, 2026). At or above 4: grade 4/4.
• Travel advisory: 1 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). At or below 1: grade 4/4.

Where Madrid is stronger

• Nights in the three busiest months: 27.7 % of annual nights (INE, Encuesta de Ocupación Hotelera, puntos turísticos (monthly, tables 2078 and 2076), 2025). At or below 30: grade 4/4.
• Average length of stay: 2.1 nights per visitor (Ayuntamiento de Madrid, Área Delegada de Turismo, 2025). Between 1.8 and 2.2: grade 1/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 74.3 % average annual occupancy (INE, Encuesta de Ocupación Hotelera, puntos turísticos (monthly, tables 2078 and 2076), 2025). Between 65 and 75: grade 3/4.
• Unemployment rate: 7.7 % of the labour force (Ayuntamiento de Madrid, “La ciudad de Madrid inicia 2026 con una tasa de paro del 7,7 % y 24.500 desempleados menos que hace un año”, Q1 2026). Between 5 and 8: grade 3/4.
• Flood hazard: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 100 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (Ayuntamiento de Madrid, Carta de Servicios de Gestión del Agua 2026 [web:65], 2025). At or above 95: grade 4/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 338 kg per resident per year (Ayuntamiento de Madrid, Carta de Servicios de Recogida y Tratamiento de Residuos, 2024). At or below 350: grade 4/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Finland: #19 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Spain: #3 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Helsinki in full · Madrid in full

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