There is delight this week that Galway is one of the winners of the fDi Magazine’s European Cities and Regions of the Future 2016/17 ranking.The Financial Times fDi’s European Cities and Regions of the Future 2016/17 ranking provides an invaluable benchmark for assessing the Europe’s investment landscape — This year Galway ranked as fDi’s number 1 Micro European Cities of the Future 2016/17 for Economic Potential and as fDi’s number 1 micro European Cities of the Future 2016/17 for Business Friendliness. This is a full category higher than our ranking in both areas in 2014.
Galway ranked second in the overall fDi’s Micro European Cities of the Future 2016/17 and fifth in terms of FDI Strategy.
Speaking on the announcement of the awards President of Galway Chamber Frank Greene said the Chamber is delighted to be ranked the best small city in Europe for both Economic Potential and Business Friendliness in the rankings for 2016/2017. This is a great achievement and one of which Galway and Galway business should be very proud. I would like to commend Galway City Council on their initiative and their work in entering Galway for these rankings.
“Added to our other designations and awards including the Unesco City of Film, the Purple Flag for our safe night time economy, and a resounding vote from readers of Travel & Leisure Magazine as the World’s Friendliest City and of course our upcoming submission to be the European Capital of Culture 2020, we have a city and region in which FDI would be proud to invest’, he said.
Mr Greene said that while our fifth place ranking in terms of FDI strategy was disappointing, there is an enormous amount of work ongoing in this area and we expect that our ranking will significantly improve.
“This ranking highlights the importance of forward planning. In this regard we encourage both the City and County Councils to jointly work with the Business/Economic Community to draft a 5yr Galway Economic and Spatial Plan that will seek to deliver Galway as a major economic force in the Irish and European context, a leading centre for commercial development investment, capitalising on the strength of its higher education institutions, the skills of its workforce, and its environmental, cultural and heritage attributes.
Mr Greene concluded by saying that successful implementation of this plan would be measured against the objective of achieving the No.1 ranking (Financial Times FDI Magazine ) in FDI Strategy.
