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The 2023 Survey of Rural Challenges found that rural residents were twice as likely to say that they were optimistic about their community’s future than pessimistic. The survey also uncovered big disconnects between what rural residents want and what services and assistance are commonly offered to them.

Given the ongoing labor shortage, many communities are putting efforts into attracting and retaining talent that 20 years ago would have focused exclusively on business. The latest report from IEDC’s Economic Development Research Partners program explores how EDOs are taking strategic, proactive approaches to improving the assets they have to offer this smaller pool of workers, and promoting their communities with talent marketing collateral, remote worker attraction programs, and more.

As remote working opportunities remain popular among employees, workers deemed ‘digital nomads’ continue to grow in importance for economic developers. New incentives and programs are being designed to lure these workers to new locations. Digital nomads are a relatively new class of workers who value mobility and travel. They typically don’t have a permanent residence and change locations every few months. The rise of remote work has allowed this lifestyle to become popular in affluent nations. As these individuals also typically work well-paying jobs, they provide a valuable source of disposable income. Spain hopes that in addition to bringing their income, they will also bring ideas and help cultivate a culture ...

What is the connection between outdoor recreation and economic development? How can having fun outdoors help communities prosper and grow? Communities, businesses, and states across the U.S. are both asking and answering these questions central to competitiveness and quality of life.

IEDC recently held a webinar titled “The Retail Recruitment Opportunity: New Thinking for Successful Attraction in a Changing World.” The speakers discussed how economic developers can best attract new retail establishments to their communities given the latest trends in the industry. Central business district retailers will undergo significant transitions in coming years alongside changes in work culture and the generational makeup of urban areas, according to Michael Berne, president of MJB consulting in New York City. Berne said that the shift to remote work accelerated an existing trend of millennials moving to the suburbs, softening demand for many retailers in city centers. Berne characterized the present moment as a ...

IEDC’s recent Investment in Attraction in 2022 webinar discussed ways EDOs can strategize to attract more investment to their communities, highlighting emerging trends in our post-pandemic world. The webinar began by outlining where the economy is headed in terms of globalization. There is a corrosion of globalization happening with heightened protectionist policies. All the while much of our business is shifting to become more digital, and remote working is increasing. Combine that with workforce shortages, inflation, higher interest rates, and a possible recession, and investments can become very confusing to navigate. Nadine Jeserich, PhD, vice president of analytics for Gazelle.ai, touched on ways in which EDOs can promote ...

Nathan Tafoya, CEcD, EDP, executive director of Mount Pleasant (Texas) Economic Development Corporation, is part of the first cohort of certified Entrepreneurship Development Professionals. IEDC’s EDP credential is designed to build capacity for those supporting entrepreneurship in their communities, and demonstrates the skills and expertise to lead communities through entrepreneurship-led economic development (ELED). Why did you decide to pursue the EDP credential? I wanted the EDP certification for a variety of reasons. Primarily, I wanted to demonstrate to myself and to my community that I had the credibility and knowledge to strategically vision and execute on entrepreneurship initiatives. While I hold both an MBA and a CEcD, I ...

After travel ground to a halt in 2020, many airports gradually came back to life to serve even more people than before the pandemic. However, most of those traveling in these airports are leisure travelers. The recovery of business travel—especially international business travel—has been prolonged due to continued remote working. Speculation on when or if business travel will return has preoccupied travel companies and other businesses across the globe. The uncertainty of business travel is of enormous concern to airlines. Business travelers are twice as profitable on average compared to leisure travelers, which has further hampered profitability in an industry already running on tight margins. Hotel chains and other ...