As many Atlanta residents know, Atlanta and Toulouse are sister cities, and they have been for many years. Over the years, we’ve seen that their partnership has had a significant economic impact on both cities. In this blog, we’re going to take a look at a few of the documented examples of economic growth that we’ve seen come from the Atlanta-Toulouse relationship.
Remember that you can always get involved with the ATSCC if you’d like to see this relationship grow even further!
What Is Economic Impact and Why Are We Concerned With It?
Economic impact is the effect that an event, policy, or other change has on the economy. It can be measured in terms of job creation, income generation, and tax revenue. In general, citizens should be interested in and strive for economic impact because it can significantly improve the lives of individuals and communities.
However, economic impact is also important for policymakers. They use economic impact data to make decisions about things like where to build new infrastructure or how to allocate government resources. By understanding the economic impact of their decisions, policymakers can help to create a more prosperous and equitable society.
But, how has the specific Atlanta-Toulouse sister cities relationship impacted both cities involved?
The Economic Impact of the Atlanta-Toulouse Partnership
So, how has the Atlanta-Toulouse relationship bolstered the economies in both cities? We’ve seen that the two cities have boosted trade and investment, attracted more tourists, and fostered collaboration between their universities and research institutions.
Trade and Investment
In terms of trade and investment, the value of trade between Atlanta and France has increased, year over year. In 2019, the value of trade between the two locations (import and export) was over $3 billion, and exports alone increased 13% over the previous year. Keeping in mind the impacts of the pandemic, we haven’t seen those types of numbers yet, but year-over-year increases continue.
Tourism
The Atlanta-Toulouse partnership has also helped to attract more tourists to each city. In 2019, over 100,000 people from Toulouse visited Atlanta. This influx of tourists has boosted the local economy and created jobs in the tourism industry.
Collaboration
The Atlanta-Toulouse partnership has also fostered intimate collaboration between their universities and research institutions.
For example, in 2016, Georgia Tech and ISAE-SUPAERO, a leading French aerospace engineering school, signed a partnership agreement to collaborate on research and education in aerospace engineering. This collaboration has led to new research discoveries and has helped to train the next generation of aerospace engineers.
And More…
The Atlanta-Toulouse partnership is a model for other sister city partnerships around the world. The two cities have demonstrated that a strong partnership can have a significant economic impact on both cities.
Here are some additional statistics about the growth in the two cities since the partnership was established in 1974:
- Metro Atlanta’s population has grown more than 400% since 1975.
- Toulouse’s population has grown more than 133% since 1975.
The ATSCC: Committed to Bolstering the Economic Impact of the Atlanta-Toulouse Connection
As we have seen, these two cities have boosted trade and investment, attracted more tourists, and fostered collaboration between their universities and research institutions. In our opinion, the Atlanta-Toulouse partnership is a model for other sister city partnerships around the world!
Are you ready to get involved with the ATSCC? Become a member, volunteer or sponsor for an event, or simply get in touch with us to see how you can help the Atlanta-Toulouse connection grow!
Recent Comments