An inspiring workforce

Edinburgh City Region is home to one of the UK's most productive and qualified workforces, with more than a third holding a degree level or professional qualification. This talent base, the area's quality of life and its environment are key attractions for employers and their employees. Labour costs are significantly lower than in London and the south-east, with Scotland's indirect social wage costs, such as employer national insurance, among the lowest in Europe.

More than 1.5m people live in Edinburgh City Region, with the working population extending to 2.5m across Scotland's central belt.

Many public and private sector partners are working together to recruit, train and retain talent, as well as attracting highly skilled international graduates and overseas workers. Unemployment in Edinburgh is consistently the lowest of any period in the city's history.

The 'Promoting Edinburgh as a Destination' project is to examine the case for an entirely new destination marketing function for the city of Edinburgh. The plan is to deliver a new destination promotion model to realise Edinburgh’s ambitions to be a destination of the future across the three target areas of Talent, Tourism and Trade as well as ensuring that Edinburgh fulfils its potential as a capital city, leader and destination for Scotland.