Mevery major global city has seen a significant decrease in competitiveness during the COVID-19 pandemic, as governments tightened border restrictions and imposed tough social distancing restrictions, according to the Global Power City Index 2021 (GPCI).
It remains to be seen whether, in the post-pandemic world of work, these global centers retain their ability to attract the highest caliber workers. But, the Global Power City Index 2021– produced by the Mori Memorial Foundation’s Institute of Urban Strategies in Tokyo – found that most major cities have adapted to the trends of working from home and hybrids.
Peter Dustan, a researcher at the Institute for Urban Strategies, says that while international travel is still difficult due to COVID restrictions, many cities have begun to relax social distancing measures as COVID-19 vaccinations increase. . Some cities have also begun to require proof of vaccination to attend large events, eat in restaurants or use public transport.
Dustan thinks this year’s Power City Index, released Wednesday, is useful for comparing how cities have been affected by COVID-19. “The form or character of urban attraction may change, but its importance in attracting new businesses and talent remains,” he says.
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For example, Hong Kong, which has been ranked in the top 10 every year for the past seven years, has dropped to 13th place from ninth in 2020. The Hong Kong government has among the most COVID-19 border restrictions hard in the world, with up to three. weeks of mandatory hotel quarantine for travelers. The Asian financial center also had the biggest drop in the number of air passengers, at 88%.
London continues to be the most attractive city, according to the Global Power City Index, but its overall score has fallen, with the report’s authors attributing the decline to both the pandemic and Brexit, which has hampered its economy and global accessibility. “The fact that all other European cities have increased their economy scores suggests that the UK’s exit from the EU is starting to have an impact, allowing other European cities to start catching up to London “, said the institute.
Tokyo improved its scores overall, largely due to the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics and improving work flexibility like Japan. suitable for working from home.
The Global Power City Index evaluates and ranks global cities for their “magnetism” using 70 indicators in six categories: economy, research and development, cultural interaction, livability, environment and accessibility.
In the 48 cities assessed this year, the study saw that accessibility took a big hit; compared to the year before the start of the global pandemic, the frequency of international flights between these cities decreased by almost 50%.
But the Institute for Urban Strategies reported some positive changes in the 48 cities despite fewer people moving between them – more than half of them saw an increase in collaboration spaces and a decrease in the hours of work
