The 2019 Assolombarda Observatory promotes the city: it is attractive and has a strong production system.

Milan, 8 November 2019 – Milan is growing, with a GDP in the last five years, from 2014 to 2018, growing by 9.7%: double compared to the increase recorded by the Italian GDP, equal to 4.6%. A good level of attractiveness, competitiveness and reputation is associated with economic performance. But to set itself as an example for the growth of the country, it must build a more inclusive and sustainable development. This is the photograph that emerges from the Milan 2019 Observatory, a report coordinated by Assolombarda and presented yesterday at Palazzo Marino by the mayor Giuseppe Sala and Carlo Bonomi, president of Assolombarda. The analysis is based on 224 indicators aimed at detecting Milan’s ability to enter the world scene. Among the news of this edition, also 9 unpublished maps of Milan to deepen and visualize the geography of some phenomena and productive vocations that are contributing to the development of the city. In detail, it emerges that Milan is the country’s driving force.

The most evident trend in the numbers is the economic recovery: today the city is well above pre-crisis levels with a GDP that, in 2018, records a +6.4% in comparison with 2008 (against a national average still down by 3.3%), and up by 9.7% compared to 2014 (up 4.6% in Italy). But today cities develop thanks to their attractiveness. Therefore, a first area of comparison between Milan and Barcelona, Lyon, Munich and Stuttgart, capitals of the most productive European regions together with Lombardy, concerns the ability to attract talents, human capital and tourists. Milan is the third attraction for talents, after Monaco and Barcelona. The city maintains the third position also in relation to the attraction of tourists and in the last year it has registered a growth higher than that of the other European benchmarks (+ 8.7%) and, with 7.6 million tourists per year, has exceeded the peak reached with Expo. As for the ability to attract businesses and capital, the Lombard capital is first, taking over Munich. Milan is the privileged city for foreign direct investments in Italy (34.2% of the total). The city of the Madonnina enjoys an excellent reputation: the highest among the cities considered. The strong point is the manufacturing system. Finally, the growth in the number of companies with over one billion in turnover based in Milan (91) is evident, compared with 59 in Munich and 29 in Barcelona.

8 november 2019
by GIAMBATTISTA ANASTASIO