Reading Time: 12 minutesMajor sporting events can bring huge crowds and investment to host cities, but how much of that opportunity reaches local businesses?
Category: Culture
Beyond buffaloes: Building a social enterprise in Laos
Reading Time: 4 minutesIn rural Laos, Laos Buffalo Dairy rents pregnant buffaloes from farmers, supporting rural families while producing milk commercially, sustaining livelihoods without disrupting traditional local farming practices. But can shared value be a lasting business model?
Retaining talent in your region
Reading Time: 5 minutesAcross much of Europe, regions are facing a growing challenge: how to attract, develop, and retain talent in an increasingly competitive labour market. How can young people’s horizons be broadened to improve their employment prospects?
東京の先へ：日本は地域の魅力を高めることができるか
Reading Time: < 1 minute過去20年以上、日本では他地域から東京圏への転入者数を、転出者数が毎年平均10万人を上回ってきました。継続的な首都地域への国内純流入として、OECD諸国の中でも最大規模の例です。また、2000年以降、東京圏以外のほとんどの道府県で人口減少が進んでいます。そして、若者、特に若い女性が、より多くの機会を求めて地方都市から大都市圏へと移り住んでいます。
From World Cup excitement to lasting local benefits: what can cities learn?
Reading Time: 4 minutesOn June 11, Mark Carney opened the 2026 men’s FIFA World Cup with a message of pride and ambition. Two weeks later, that ambition became history: how can countries turn global attention into lasting local benefits?
More than movies: Can film drive regional development?
Reading Time: 4 minutesWhen fans travel to Northern Ireland to experience landscapes made famous by Game of Thrones, they are doing more than chasing a fantasy, they are fuelling a regional economy. Although the television series concluded in 2019, it still draws around 350 000 visitors each year, representing around one in six visitors from outside Northern Ireland. How can more regions reel in the benefits of movie stardom?
Tackling tourism pressures: How Dubrovnik Became a Smart City Model
Reading Time: 4 minutesOnly a decade ago, visitors were advised to avoid Dubrovnik during peak season due to near-continuous congestion in its narrow UNESCO-protected streets. Today, Dubrovnik stands as an emerging European model for sustainable, people-centred tourism. How can cities combine strategic governance, digital tools and community engagement to protect cultural heritage while ensuring a high quality of life for residents?
If music be the source of growth, play on
Reading Time: 3 minutesOver the next decade, 1.2 billion young people in emerging countries, especially Africa, face job scarcity. The thriving global music industry presents an economic opportunity, yet many nations ignore its potential for job creation and revenue growth.