Riga named one of the best investment destinations in Europe

Riga is continuously strengthening its position as one of the most attractive investment destinations in Europe and has received a high ranking in the prestigious Financial Times study European Cities and Regions of the Future 2025. The study analyses European cities and regions, assessing their economic potential, infrastructure development, quality of life and investment attraction strategies. Riga’s achievements were highlighted at the international real estate and investment forum MIPIM, which took place on March in Cannes, France.

The European Cities and Regions of the Future ranking is published annually by fDi Intelligence, a specialist division of the Financial Times that provides data-driven insight and analysis on foreign direct investment (FDI) trends around the world. The results include a broad analysis of European cities and regions, assessing their economic potential, infrastructure development, quality of life and human capital.

Riga stood out in two important categories. In the Human Capital and Lifestyle category, Riga ranked third among the mid-sized European cities, behind only Vilnius and Wroclaw in Poland. In the Foreign Direct Investment Strategy category, Riga ranked seventh, proving its competitiveness in the global investment market. Vilnius came first in this category, followed by Belfast and Coventry.

Riga City Council is actively working to attract investment, implement modern infrastructure projects and improve the business environment. These efforts include the creation of new technology centres and industrial parks, as well as targeted support for entrepreneurs. The Latvian capital has been ranked among the top cities in various categories in the prestigious ranking for three consecutive years.

Other Latvian cities have also received recognition in the ranking. Ventspils came second in the Foreign Direct Investment Strategy category in the micro-cities group, while Jelgava and Valmiera ranked eighth and ninth respectively. Limerick in Ireland came first and Panevėžys in Lithuania third. These results show that Latvia is becoming an increasingly attractive environment for investment in general.

The MIPIM Forum, which recognises the leading investment destination cities, is one of the world’s most important real estate and investment events. Every year, thousands of experts and investors from all over the world gather to discuss the latest trends and close important deals. At the Forum, the Riga City Council’s stand showcased the city’s development potential and business opportunities thus strengthening Riga’s international visibility and stimulating investor interest.