Business is Booming in Glasgow

Glasgow has long been a favorite desitnation of travelers the world over. As one of the most diverse cities in Europe, Glasgow oozes style and culture from every street corner. The incredible mix of museums and galleries, unique architecture, energetic nightlife and award winning dining and shopping has helped to draw an increasing number of international tourists year after year. But what is not as well known is the fact that over the past 20 years, Glasgow has undergone a business renaissance of sorts and has become one of the most exciting cities in the world to conduct commerce.

There are numerous factors that have contributed to this re-emergence of Glasgow's business profile. To begin, the city of Glasgow has made a sustained commitment to growing commerce opportunites within the city, investing millions of pounds in recent years developing commercial real estate property, updating transportation and communication channels, and improving access to markets, both local and international markets. The Glasgow City Council has also partnered with the Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI) to help businesses better compete in the global marketplace. Glasgow businesses are now being offered fully expensed places on trade visits to several key international markets. These visits are beneficial for numerous reasons including market research and trade development. Additionally, these visits provide excellent networking opportunities as business leaders attend various coporate events and tradeshows throughout the duration of their stay helping extend their business profile.

The proximity to top universities is another reason many companies see Glasgow as an attractive location. With several highly ranked universities within the city and many more only a short distance away, Glasgow touts a highly skilled labour force and has become a leading research center, making it a hotbed for startups. This diverse and highly skilled labour force has helped Glasgow consistently rank as the UK's fastest growing employment base. Despite the highly educated and capable labour pool, Glasgow remains one of the most affordable major cities in Europe, another feature that continues to attract many startups. With such an talented labour force and comparatively low operating costs, Glasgow businesses are well positioned to compete worldwide. Additionally, the Glasgow City Council offers unparalleled support for companies looking to relocate to Glasgow. From numerous funding and development opportunities to relocation support, the Glasgow City Council is there to make the transition seamless, every step of the way.

It is always said that the first three rules in real estate are location, location, location; this is true for businesses as well, and there is no better location than Glasgow. Located within an hour from Edinburgh and a short plane ride from London, Glasgow is situated in between two of the largest European banking cities. Additionally, most other major European cities can be reached by air within three hours. Also, being centrally located between North America and Asia provides a unique advantage not available in most locations. Being located in Glasgow allows companies unparraled access to the two largest consumer markets in the world. Companies have the unique ability to speak with partners in both China and the United States of America during standard operating hours, something few locations allow. This is one the main reasons that Glasgow ranks 2nd amongst large Europoean cities for foreign direct investment strategy, ranked by fDi Magazine.

Despite the recent global downturn, Glasgow's economy has remained strong and companies continue to look toward Glasgow as an attractive location to conduct commerce. Whether a company is looking to relocate, expand into new markets, host coporate events or tradeshows, or simply enhance its networking opportunities Glasgow is fast becoming on of the most attractive cities in Europe. The strong commitment by the Glagow City Council to improving infrastucture and expanding corporate opportunities, the diverse and highly educated labour pool and the attractive location are all reasons Glasgow will continue to attract top companies for many years to come. Business is booming in Glasgow!