Chennai vs Hyderabad

Chennai leads Hyderabad by 3 points on the AFTER Index, 55 to 52. Chennai grades better on 5 measures, Hyderabad on 5; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• AFTER Index: Chennai 55, Hyderabad 52
• OECD: Chennai 54, Hyderabad 54
• UN Tourism: Chennai 58, Hyderabad 53
• UNDRR: Chennai 41, Hyderabad 45

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Chennai 71, Hyderabad 71
• Economy and jobs: Chennai 63, Hyderabad 69
• Climate and hazards: Chennai 20, Hyderabad 25
• Water and environment: Chennai 50, Hyderabad 38
• Community and housing: Chennai 75, Hyderabad 63
• Access and continuity: Chennai 55, Hyderabad 58

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.
• Unemployment rate: 4.4 % of the labour force (National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Government of India, Labour Market Dynamics in Million-plus Cities (based on Periodic Labour Force Surve, 2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• 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.
• Rent growth: 8 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Knight Frank, India Real Estate (Jan-March 2026), Q1 2026). Between 6 and 10: grade 2/4.
• 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 Hyderabad is stronger

• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 75.1 % average annual occupancy (Hotelivate, 2024 Indian Hospitality - Trends & Opportunities, 2023-2024). At or above 75: grade 4/4.
• Economic diversity: 82.2 % of employment outside accommodation, food, retail and transport (country figure) (Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Government of India, Annual Report: Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2025, 2025). At or above 80: grade 4/4.
• Flood hazard: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
• Green space: 12.3 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (Forest Survey of India, India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023 / The New Indian Express, 2023). Between 10 and 20: grade 1/4.
• Air traffic recovery: 121.9 % 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.

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 · Hyderabad in full

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