Destination City
Destination City is the City of London Corporation’s growth strategy for the Square Mile. In the decade ahead, the City aims to be a magnetic destination where people choose to live, work, learn, and explore.
The City has recovered well since the pandemic; there are 676,000 workers and self-employed persons registered in the Square Mile (2024) – a 25% growth since pre-pandemic levels.
The Square Mile is the engine of economic growth of the British economy – generating £109 billion in economic output annually, or 4% of all UK GVA (Gross Value Added).
With fierce global competition for talent and investment, Destination City will enable the Square Mile to maintain its ability to attract businesses, workers, and visitors, ensuring the City continues to play a leading role in driving London’s and the UK’s economy.
Data and insights
Data and insights sit at the heart of Destination City. Our Destination City dashboard brings together and visualises a wide range of data to help track progress, demonstrate impact, and deepen our understanding of the audiences and communities we serve.
Discover more by viewing our dashboard below.
Destination City
Destination City is a programme of collective action which aims to achieve four overlapping – and corporate wide – outcomes:
A globally attractive place for business
To continue to be a global magnet for business, we will make it easier for firms to relocate here, and continue building high quality, sustainable office space within a safe environment secured by the City of London Police.
The new City Business and Investment Unit (CBIU) is designed to attract, retain, and grow investment in London’s historic financial district. The CBIU will offer tailored, concierge-style support to both new and existing occupiers and investors.
Our target is to increase the number of new investors in the Square Mile, increase the number of new business occupiers, and increase the number of businesses we support who are starting or expanding in the City, in line with our SME Strategy.
For more information, contact the CBIU Team
Attracting current City workers back to the office by ‘earning the commute’
To attract workers back to the office throughout the week we will showcase our world-leading culture, heritage and hospitality offer, to boost worker footfall on Mondays and Fridays.
Our target is to reduce the average difference from 36% to 30% between the mid-week footfall and Mondays and to reduce the average difference from 42% to 37% between the mid-week footfall and Fridays.
Working alongside our partners and by delivering on our commitment to enhanced public realm, we will develop a lively and animated ground floor experience – elevating the City as a vibrant destination that connects and inspires workers beyond the 9-to-5 working day.
An inclusive and welcoming destination which attracts the next generation of talent
The City aims to be an inclusive and welcoming destination which attracts the next generation of talent, building on our City Belonging Project to embrace diverse communities across the Square Mile. The City Belonging Project seeks to ensure workers feel part of an inclusive community by improving connections across City workplaces and staff networks, bringing thousands together for events and more.
A destination where people want to live, work, learn and explore
The City aims to be a leading UK destination where people want to work, live, learn and explore. Workers, residents, students, and visitors benefit from accessible, clean, and safe streets, so they are better able to enjoy the City’s first-class cultural, heritage and hospitality offer through a calendar of ‘what’s on’ in the Square Mile.
Our aim is to increase average footfall on Friday, Saturday and Sunday by 5%.
Find out more about the exciting events and activities happening in the City this month!
Destination Advisory Board
The Square Mile is home to a diverse range of businesses, educational institutions, hospitality and leisure locations, and open spaces – a rich ecosystem with many individuals and partners contributing to its success. Destination City brings this ecosystem together in a partnership approach to promote collaboration, encourage learning and knowledge-sharing across the Square Mile.
The Destination Advisory Board was appointed in November 2024 and brings together diverse views from the private sector, our Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and other external members, as well as a broad representation from across City of London Corporation Committee Chairs.
The Board makes recommendations on the strategic direction for Destination City, whilst also receiving regular insights on the implementation and performance of the programme
Destination City Partnership Fund
Do you have an innovative idea to help achieve the Destination City aims? The Destination City Partnership Fund supports organisations with creative ideas to deliver projects that help attract more businesses, workers and visitors to the Square Mile, offering grants of up to £20,000.
Independent Review 2024
Following a review by Paul Martin in April 2024, the Destination City programme was expanded and now brings together a wider series of projects and activities that will position the City as a magnetic destination – for businesses, workers and visitors.
Get the latest update on Destination City in our regular bulletin