Chennai vs Delhi
Chennai and Delhi are level on the AFTER Index at 55. Chennai grades better on 5 measures, Delhi on 4; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.
Scores by each organisation's criteria
- AFTER Index: Chennai 55, Delhi 55
- OECD: Chennai 54, Delhi 56
- UN Tourism: Chennai 58, Delhi 61
- UNDRR: Chennai 41, Delhi 39
Theme by theme
- Demand and seasonality: Chennai 71, Delhi 71
- Economy and jobs: Chennai 63, Delhi 50
- Climate and hazards: Chennai 20, Delhi 15
- Water and environment: Chennai 50, Delhi 56
- Community and housing: Chennai 75, Delhi 75
- Access and continuity: Chennai 55, Delhi 63
Where Chennai is stronger
- Largest foreign market: 18.1 % of international arrivals or nights (country figure) (Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, India Tourism Data Compendium 2025, 2024). Between 15 and 20: grade 3/4.
- Jobs in tourism industries: 6.1 % of employment in accommodation and food services (country figure) (World Economic Forum, TTDI 2026 (data: Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research by World Travel & Tourism Council; Travel & Tourism by World Travel & Tourism Council), 2026). At or below 8: grade 4/4.
- Flood hazard: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4.
- Wastewater safely treated: 88.2 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (metro figure) (DT Next / Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB), 2024). Between 85 and 95: grade 3/4.
- Access redundancy: 4 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Chennai Port Authority / Southern Railway / AAI / NHAI, 2024–2026). At or above 4: grade 4/4.
Where Delhi is stronger
- Hotel bed or room occupancy: 75.3 % average annual occupancy (Horwath HTL, India Hotel Market Review 2025, 2025). At or above 75: grade 4/4.
- Green space: 25 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (Forest Survey of India, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, India State of Forest Report 2023, 2023). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4.
- Air traffic recovery: 113.2 % of the same 12 months of 2019, airport passengers (DGCA traffic statistics (via india-aviation-traffic, ODbL), TTM Jul 2025 – Jun 2026). At or above 110: grade 4/4.
- Air route concentration: 31.3 % of international air passengers on routes to the 3 largest partner countries (DGCA traffic statistics (via india-aviation-traffic, ODbL), TTM Jul 2025 – Jun 2026). At or below 35: grade 4/4.
Country context (World Economic Forum)
- India: #31 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
- India: #31 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
Chennai in full · Delhi in full
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