City Profile
The population of Lugano amounts to about 53000 inhabitants extending over an area slightly larger than 48 km2. These small dimensions can be surprising if compared to the importance and international fame of the City. Structures and services are indeed designed for a population of about 100000 inhabitants, mainly distributed in the surrounding area. This means that urban services, such as electricity, gas, water and transport distribution networks, are provided to the whole Sottoceneri, as well as structures such as the Conference Palace or Lugano Airport which play a role of Cantonal importance. Another presumably interesting point: Lugano guarantees about 38000 jobs.
The economy of the City of Lugano is organised revolving around three great sectors which developed and acquired a leading position at different times but which, for a series of circumstances, are perfectly integrated and harmonised with each other, thus establishing a structure and a dynamic and functional image. The first leading sector, dating back to the second half of the Nineteenth Century, is the tourist industry. The conditions of its birth and development are closely linked to the peculiar qualities of the subalpine landscape, of the lake, of its shores, of its mountains of volcanic origin and to the favourable climate conditions of the region. The construction of the Swiss railway network, and particularly of St. Gotthard's North-South route, made it easy for everyone to reach the wonderful landscape. This sector deeply affected urban design and the quality of the City's facilities. The second characteristic of our economy, based on an even older tradition, is trade.
Since as early as the Middle Ages, Lugano has been the hub of a thriving traffic of goods and, particularly, it has been the home of one of the most popular cattle fairs in Europe, an event, which has given Lugano celebrity and prosperity. The third component of our economy is the sector of financial and banking services. This sector, the last one to make its appearance, is presently the main driving force of our economy. It started to develop in the post-war years following the Second World War; between the Sixties and the Seventies it made the City the third financial market in the Confederation and nowadays it meets the most sophisticated demands of the high-tech service industry. In spite of the changes which occurred in the financial and banking sector, with the well-known concentrations in the Nineties, Lugano continues to be an attractive market to such an extent that new international banks have recently decided to establish themselves in Lugano.
The figures of the new Lugano
53’000 inhabitants
1’087 inhabitants for sq.Km
48’74 sq. km. In surface at 273 metres above sea level
3. financial market in Switzerland
100 and more banking institutes present in the city
735'096 hotel overnight stays in 2005
73 hotels in the city of Lugano for 5'580 beds (in 2005)
City Profile
The population of Lugano amounts to about 53000 inhabitants extending over an area slightly larger than 48 km2. These small dimensions can be surprising if compared to the importance and international fame of the City. Structures and services are indeed designed for a population of about 100000 inhabitants, mainly distributed in the surrounding area. This means that urban services, such as electricity, gas, water and transport distribution networks, are provided to the whole Sottoceneri, as well as structures such as the Conference Palace or Lugano Airport which play a role of Cantonal importance. Another presumably interesting point: Lugano guarantees about 38000 jobs.
The economy of the City of Lugano is organised revolving around three great sectors which developed and acquired a leading position at different times but which, for a series of circumstances, are perfectly integrated and harmonised with each other, thus establishing a structure and a dynamic and functional image. The first leading sector, dating back to the second half of the Nineteenth Century, is the tourist industry. The conditions of its birth and development are closely linked to the peculiar qualities of the subalpine landscape, of the lake, of its shores, of its mountains of volcanic origin and to the favourable climate conditions of the region. The construction of the Swiss railway network, and particularly of St. Gotthard's North-South route, made it easy for everyone to reach the wonderful landscape. This sector deeply affected urban design and the quality of the City's facilities. The second characteristic of our economy, based on an even older tradition, is trade.
Since as early as the Middle Ages, Lugano has been the hub of a thriving traffic of goods and, particularly, it has been the home of one of the most popular cattle fairs in Europe, an event, which has given Lugano celebrity and prosperity. The third component of our economy is the sector of financial and banking services. This sector, the last one to make its appearance, is presently the main driving force of our economy. It started to develop in the post-war years following the Second World War; between the Sixties and the Seventies it made the City the third financial market in the Confederation and nowadays it meets the most sophisticated demands of the high-tech service industry. In spite of the changes which occurred in the financial and banking sector, with the well-known concentrations in the Nineties, Lugano continues to be an attractive market to such an extent that new international banks have recently decided to establish themselves in Lugano.
The figures of the new Lugano
- 53’000 inhabitants
- 1’087 inhabitants for sq.Km
- 48’74 sq. km. In surface at 273 metres above sea level
- 3. financial market in Switzerland
- 100 and more banking institutes present in the city
- 735'096 hotel overnight stays in 2005
- 73 hotels in the city of Lugano for 5'580 beds (in 2005)