Galway City has been crowned as Europe’s Micro City of the Year by the Financial Times.

In a study of the most promising investment locations in Europe, fDi Magazine – a Financial Times publication – has crowned Galway City a winner of a European City and Region of the Future 2014/15 title and ranked Galway City as Best Overall Micro City in Europe, 2nd place as Best Micro City for economic potential and 2nd place Micro City for economic potential and third best Micro City in business friendliness.

Crucially for its categorisation Galway City is the only micro city to be listed in the Top 25 overall European Cities of the Future.

Brendan McGrath, Galway City Manager, welcomed the awards and the categorisation of Galway within the Top 25 Cities of Europe as a significant endorsement of Galway City and its potential to lead the west of Ireland as a place for investment and economic development.

The City Manager stated how important it is “ to attract foreign direct investment and that the staff of the Council would work with the IDA to support investment-led visits to Galway City & the west of Ireland region.”
 

The survey examined data that was collected from 468 locations, both cities and regions, in five categories:Economic Potential, Human Capital and Lifestyle, Cost Effectiveness, Infrastructure and Business Friendliness.