Why invest in Edinburgh?
Edinburgh’s popularity as a business location
has been driven by several factors;
Critical mass
More FTSE100 companies are based in Edinburgh than any other area
of the UK outside London, with key strengths in finance, science
and technology and tourism.
Accessibility
The city
region has a strong transport mix, with a sophisticated bus, road
and rail network. The capital has flights to more than 100
destinations worldwide and a new tram system due in 2011.
Economy
Edinburgh enjoys
the UK's strongest city economy outside London and is forecast to
continue outperforming with growth of 3.3% a year until 2010.
Value-for-money
Labour
and commercial property 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.
Talent pool
Edinburgh
City Region’s workforce is one of the most highly qualified in the
UK with 43.6% of the population holding a degree level or
professional qualification.
Productivity
Workers in
Edinburgh are the most productive in Scotland, generating £27,600 a
year each in 2006, the second highest figure in the UK.
Support services
A large
community of suppliers and advisors provides support including
professional services, IT, outsourcing, freight, human resources,
facilities management, energy and raw materials.
Property
Availability of
world-class, competitively-priced commercial property is growing
with many flagship developments underway. Edinburgh also benefits
from a strong residential property market.
Quality of
life
Edinburgh has won more than 12 UK Best City
awards in the last seven years and scores more than 90%
satisfaction among local residents, the highest of any city
surveyed by Mori.
Reputation
Edinburgh is
Scotland's capital city, home of the Scottish Parliament and the
consulate core. Edinburgh is the world's festival city, a World
Heritage Site, the world's first UNESCO City of Literature, a
leading international financial centre, a recognised
'Ideopolis' of knowledge and is renowned worldwide for innovation
and cultural excellence.
Promotion
'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.
