Amsterdam's hidden treasures
The Business Traveller magazine discovered many attractions for business travellers in North and South Amsterdam.
Corporate travellers
The June 2010 issue of Business Traveller magazine featured an extensive article (PDF) about the city of Amsterdam. According to the magazine, the perception of Amsterdam by international corporate travellers is about to change as the city expands north and south.
Blossoming digital industry
In the northern part of the city (Amsterdam Noord), the digital industry continues to expand. Offices for MTV and Red Bull are located around former shipyards here, and a huge hangar now houses 250 artists in self-built studios. The area acts as a magnet for creative industries.
The annual growth of the gaming industry is projected to be 7% until 2013 in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers' Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2009.
Zuidas, Amsterdam's central business district
The southern part of Amsterdam is home to the World Trade Center (WTC) and the financial district. The Business Traveller praised its strategic location, which is 6 minutes by metro from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and 15 minutes from the centre of the city.
Major financial centre
Amsterdam is one of the major financial centres in Europe. Finance is the most important sector in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area, generating approximately 20% of the region's GDP. Amsterdam's importance as a financial centre is evident when you consider that 44 of the 50 member banks of the Foreign Bankers' Association in the Netherlands are based in the Amsterdam Area. Amsterdam is also one of the world's largest financial trading centres for derivatives, hosting such firms as IMC, All Options and Optiver.
Opportunities in the hotel industry
The June 2010 magazine article also highlights the hotel market in Amsterdam. René van Schie, hotel development intermediary for the Municipality of Amsterdam - Economic Affairs, points out the various opportunities for entrepreneurs in the hotel industry. Amsterdam's goal is to introduce 9,000 new hotel rooms by 2015. "Our policy is to encourage people to come up with new ideas and new brands," says René.
For more information on Amsterdam hotel business opportunities, contact René van Schie.
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