Amsterdam takes on the world

From City of Amsterdam to Metropolis Amsterdam

Amsterdam and its local business community are joining forces to raise the international profile of the city and region. The city government is investing an extra €51 million in the initiative. Specific projects include the establishment of a top international educational programme and a special one-stop shop for expats to simplify administrative procedures. Meanwhile, hospitality workers and local civil servants are to be given special training so that they can extend a warmer welcome to Amsterdam’s visitors.

Amsterdam urgently needs to modernise if it is to keep up with the international competition. So the city government and the local business community have reached agreements designed to put the Dutch capital back in the top five of favourite European business locations. Particular efforts are going to be made to encourage creativity, including the release of premises for creative talents.

The “Amsterdam Top City” initiative has identified five key priorities to make Amsterdam the preferred meeting place for talented creative people and for ambitious companies and organisations.

Talent
To attract and retain talent, Amsterdam must appeal to and make the most of ambitious students, expats, entrepreneurs and artists. The Media Guild project, for example, offers ICT high-flyers a great working environment (Cisco Systems) and relevant networks (Philips). The local authority is also actively supporting the Amsterdam Trade University, a joint initiative by the city’s universities and leading businesses to establish a new, top-level educational institution with international appeal. Opening in 2007, that is the latest development in Amsterdam’s long mercantile tradition. And in partnership with the Gouden Gids directory, the city is setting up a dedicated website for expats planning a move here. That will provide full information about such things as licensing and registration procedures.

Growth
Talent needs to be given space. To provide it, ABN Amro is going to specifically target creative entrepreneurs with its coach-supported start-up credits. And both ING and Rabobank provide young entrepreneurs with mentors to help them with their financing.

Atmosphere
People and companies need to feel welcome and appreciated in the city. So service workers and local civil servants are going to be given special hospitality training.

Space
Creativity and entrepreneurship require physical space, so the city and its business community are going to provide it. Examples of the premises available include the old chewing-gum factory in Overamstel and the former City Archive on Amsteldijk. MTV is also offering business accommodation and coaching.

Reputation
It is not clear to people abroad what Amsterdam has to offer. So much more is to be invested in marketing the city. KLM has agreed to participate actively in this initiative. And there is also to be greater investment in events. Picnic/Cross Media Week, for example, is being expanded with the aim that it become an annual event with international appeal, eventually attracting 25,000 visitors.

Lodewijk Asscher, the member of the City Executive behind the initiative, is pleased with the support that his “Amsterdam Top City” programme has already received. “But there is still a long way to go,” he says. “This is just the first step. The doors remain open to all good ideas. If initiatives achieve results, then we will press ahead with them. If things do not work out as expected, we will draw a line under them and look to see where we could better be spending our money. The international competition demands that we manage effectively by results.”

For more information, please contact:
Janet van der Meulen, Amsterdam City Government Press Office

Source: City of Amsterdam press release