New Orleans vs Seattle

Seattle leads New Orleans by 2 points on the TRAIL Index, 73 to 71. New Orleans grades better on 4 measures, Seattle on 6; the same 37 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• TRAIL Index: New Orleans 71, Seattle 73
• OECD: New Orleans 67, Seattle 69
• UN Tourism: New Orleans 73, Seattle 71
• UNDRR: New Orleans 73, Seattle 65

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: New Orleans 67, Seattle 58
• Economy and jobs: New Orleans 67, Seattle 92
• Climate and hazards: New Orleans 40, Seattle 65
• Water and environment: New Orleans 69, Seattle 63
• Community and housing: New Orleans 67, Seattle 63
• Access and continuity: New Orleans 96, Seattle 79

Where New Orleans is stronger

• Largest foreign market: 40 % of international arrivals or nights (region figure) (Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana / WWL News, 2024). Between 30 and 40: grade 1/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 405.3 kg per resident per year (Louisiana Legislative Auditor, City of New Orleans - Residential Trash and Recyclables Collection, 2024). Between 350 and 450: grade 3/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A plan tested in an exercise or a real event, with lessons published (New Orleans & Company, 2025). Grade 4/4.
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source partly ring-fenced for residents, infrastructure or sustainability (City of New Orleans / New Orleans & Company, 2025). Grade 3/4.

Where Seattle is stronger

• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 70.3 % average annual occupancy (metro figure) (Kidder Mathews (via STR data), 2024). Between 65 and 75: grade 3/4.
• Unemployment rate: 4.8 % of the labour force (metro figure) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Economy at a Glance: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, August 2026). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Extreme heat days: 0.2 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.
• Tropical nights: 0.4 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.
• Wastewater safely treated: 98.1 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: SDG Indicators Database by United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs), 2024). At or above 95: grade 4/4.
• Green space: 28.1 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (City of Seattle, Office of Sustainability & Environment, 2021 Tree Canopy Assessment, 2021). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• United States: #2 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• United States: #2 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

New Orleans in full · Seattle in full

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