Audit of City Marketing Activities in Riga

1. Inga Nemše, Head of Riga City Marketing Division, Riga City Council Helsinki, 06.06.2006 Audit of City Marketing Activities in Riga

2. Territory: 307 sq.km • 732,000 inhabitants (32% of the national population) • 1.2 mln in Riga Region (one half of national population) • 58% of the national GDP • 65% of the population income tax in Latvia comes from the employers registered in Riga • 60% of the total foreign investment • 54% of the foreign tourists overnight in Riga General overview of Riga

3. RigaCity agglomeration Riga City agglomeration covers 6984 km2 The population is 1.2 million

4. 51% of the total industrial output (food industry, wood processing, printing & publishing, manufacturing of metal ware, manufacturing of textiles) • 80% of the wholesales turnover • 60% of the retail trade turnover • Transit & finances – the most important branches (23 banks and 17 insurance companies) • Transportation centre (14 international bus routes, 6 international railway routes, 34 international flight routes) General overview of Riga

5. Riga International Airport

6. Cargo turnover at Riga Harbour

7. High university enrolment rate - 556 students per 10,000 inhabitant • 31% of higher educational establishments are state subsidised • 40 state and private higher educational establishments • Good knowledge of foreign languages (English, German, French, Russian) • Academy of Science of Latvia + 15 public research institutes • Private science & research institutes (the Latvian Technology Centre) • Support of the Riga City Council for Science Park development Education and research

8. Dynamics of the number of students

9. Development of Riga Airport Business Park

10. Eastern Bypass Northern Tunnel Southern Bridge

11. Tramway system in Riga 2025 Development of the public transportation in the city is based on its backbone – a modern light-rail transport

12. Bikeway network in Riga

13. Marketing activities of Riga City

14. Marketing activities of Riga City

15. Presenting Riga abroad (RigaDays in Hamburg, International Hanseatic Days) • Participation with stand of Riga at the international real estate fairs in France, Germany, Poland • Organizing events in Riga: conferences, seminars and exhibitions on city development and economic issues • Development of informative materials (CD-s, booklets) • Creating presentations and speeches for top managers of the Riga City Council • Work on strategy for Riga city image development • Riga City Marketing Council Riga City Marketing Division

16. City Development Department PR Division Environmental Department Foreign Affairs Division Riga Tourism Coordination and Information Centre Welfare Department Marketing activities at the RCC One Stop Agency Department of Culture IT Centre Transport Department Education, Youth and Sports Department Municipal Services Department

18. Chairman of the Riga City Council Executive Director Units of Central Administration Riga City Council

19. Different structural units like to act on their own – lack of cooperation • No system for informing others about the planned activities • Different marketing possibilities are missed (partnercities, international organizations) • No single logo and slogan for City of Riga • Each department has different visual style • Cooperation between Riga and Riga Region Challenges

20. Horizontal communication - Task groups • Involvement of all stakeholders - Advisory councils • EU projects (Baltic Palette, Baltic Capitals & King’s Road, European Route of Brick Gothic, Baltmet Invest) • Network of Baltic Metropolises • Joint events (exhibitions, presentations, workshops) How to stimulate cooperation?

21. Possibilities for cooperation within Baltmet Inno project • Riga City Marketing Council created • Experience exchange visits to Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo (Amsterdam) • Different researches • SWOT analysis of target groups: inhabitants, businesses, visitors • Development of Riga business marketing strategy Marketing strategy for Riga

22. Riga Environmental Strategy 2000 – 2010 • Riga City Council Strategy on e-City • Riga Public Transport Development Concept 2005 - 2018 • Concept on Improving the Services of Riga Municipality • Concept on Riga Cultural Policy • Riga Long-term Development Strategy until 2025 • Riga Development Programme 2006 – 2012 • Riga Territorial Planning 2006 - 2018 Strategic documents of RCC

23. Umbrella document for the City • Sets 3 priorities: • Economy that uses the East-West link • Educated and skilful society • Life in urban environment with qualitative neighbourhoods Riga Long-term Development Strategy until 2025

24. Urban environment Economy Possibility to live in comfortable, safe and healthy environment Possibility to get income, to provide oneself and family Resident of Riga Possibility to study and develop oneself and to belong to city Society City development pillars Sustainability: balanced development of these three systems is the main prerequisite for the welfare of the city and also for Riga’s inhabitants

25. Educated and skilful society that appreciates cultural values • Development of economy that uses the East-West link • Life in city with qualitative neighbourhoods • Well-provided society • Healthy and active society • Society that values family • Society with good social support and care • Intellectually rich society Long-term Strategic Aims

26. Informed society • Economy with high added value • Multiform and growing economy • Economy based on partnership principles • City that can be reached conveniently and fastly • Clean and green city • Safe urban environment • City with qualitative housing • City of efficient administration Long-term Strategic Aims

27. Framework of city marketing strategy created • Riga business marketing strategy based on Riga Long-term Development Strategy until 2025 • Riga business marketing action plan • Riga tourism marketing strategy • Work on image of Riga – logo, slogan, visual elements Next steps

28. Thank you for your attention!