Maintaining London's position as the destination of choice for business, investors, visitors and students
In 2010/11, we will be:
The London Development Agency (LDA) helps the Mayor of London to position and maintain the capital as a leading world city. We co-ordinate the promotion of London as the best place in the world to visit, study, invest and do business.
A world-class city
London is a celebrated destination for businesses, students and visitors from all over the world. It has a reputation as a vibrant city with world-class arts and culture, business facilities, education, sports, events and entertainment. With its diverse mix of people and cultures, it has something for everyone.
A leading business centre
London is globally recognised as a leading destination for business, and our primary objective is to maintain this position. It has an open, fair business regime, and great connectivity – English is widely used as the global business language and London is in a time zone that lets people do business with both eastern and western hemispheres on the same day.
Trade promotion is a key factor in London's global competitiveness, and the LDA works with UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) to help the capital's businesses market their goods and services around the world.
Tourist hotspot
London offers tourists culture, heritage, entertainment, sport and parks, and attracts more international visitors than any other city in the world.
The LDA supports London's tourism industry through the delivery of the Mayor's London Tourism Action Plan 2009–13, which supports the realisation of the Mayor's London Tourism Vision. Our work also includes delivering quality visitor information services, improving the visitor welcome for all and marketing and promoting London as a world-class city through our delivery partner Visit London.
The education destination
London is home to more than 90,000 international students from over 200 different nations, more than any other city in the world. With over 30,000 accredited courses on offer at some of the UK’s leading universities and colleges, London offers students a world-class education in a world-class city.
Study London is an organisation funded by the LDA to increase and embed the long-term cultural and economic links between London and emerging economies.
Broad skills base
Other strengths include London’s broad and strong skills base, with a global talent pool that makes the city a centre for high value-added businesses and services, including creative media, advertising, new media and branding.
The LDA works with the City of London and business to co-ordinate cost-effective promotional work in key overseas markets, including China and India.
2012 Games
The 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games will provide a lasting tourism legacy, and these improvements will also improve the quality of life for London residents and businesses.