Atlanta’s Reputation as a Hub of Global Commerce

More than 40 percent of the new jobs in Atlanta come from international companies. With its exposure to an international TV audience of 3.5 billion — or 70 percent of the world’s population — the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games branded Atlanta as a great place for business.
Atlanta is home to more than 2,000 international businesses, has more than 80 nonstop international air routes in 50 countries, and has 65 consulates and trade offices — more than any other city in the Southeast. The metro Atlanta area offers unmatched market access to destinations around the United States and the world. With nonstop service to more than 156 U.S. destinations, Atlanta can help you easily reach your customers.

Core strengths in Atlanta and Georgia include:

• • Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
• • Port of Savannah
• • 57 colleges and universities enrolling more than 220,000 students
• • Talent from which to draw a work force
• • Low cost of living and doing business
• • Quality of life that is second to none
• • Various categories of incentives

These core assets give us the ability to take advantage of new opportunities in technology, bioscience, global commerce, supply chain, and other emerging industries.
Atlanta ranks third in the U.S. by Fortune magazine for global headquarters. Home to global companies like The Home Depot, Delta Air Lines, Coca-Cola, UPS, ING, GE, and others, Atlanta’s global reach is growing. Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, and the Netherlands each have more than 100 facilities located in the metro Atlanta area.
Atlanta is also a major player in the high-technology industry. More than 75 percent of U.S. credit card processing transactions are processed through companies in metro Atlanta such as Global Payments and First Data Corporation. With a solid base of software, Internet, biotechnology, digital media and telecommunications companies as well as more than 20 incubators, the potential for new growth is big.
This new growth is also possible because of our low cost of doing business. Of the top-10 largest U.S. metro areas, KPMG indexed Atlanta with the lowest cost of doing business in a 2010 report. Georgia’s available tax credits may enable businesses to significantly reduce their cost of doing business in the state.

We have the talent.
Atlanta is ripe for innovation, and our universities are building the future talent we need to continue to be successful. Our universities enroll more than 220,000 students annually. Atlanta is also home to the Atlanta International School, German School of Atlanta, Georgia Japanese Language School, and the Seigakuin Atlanta School, among others.
This spirit of change continues today as Atlanta opens new world-class attractions, museums, restaurants, schools, and businesses every day. Atlanta’s international communities and companies are thriving, and our cosmopolitan flair sets us apart. With so much progress in one city, there has never been a better time than now to live, work, learn, or play in Atlanta.
Companies interested in metro Atlanta should contact the Metro Atlanta Chamber Economic Development division for customized and confidential assistance on company relocations and expansions. All assistance is confidential and at no cost. The division has a highly experienced professional staff, including a global commerce staff attuned to our international needs. We will recruit, advocate and serve as project managers for your relocation or expansion.