The economies of travel destinations around the globe were greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, causing a dramatic loss in city revenue and massive job losses in the sector. The pandemic and subsequent fallout gave us an opportunity to reflect on what cities offer travelers and how to make interactions with our communities more meaningful. …
During a recent convening hosted by The Technology and Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard and City Possible, Jana Adamcova, a board member at Prague City Tourism, outlined the city’s approach to revitalizing tourism that was negatively impacted by the pandemic. Tourism in the Czech Republic is heavily concentrated in the nation’s capital, which devastated Prague’s local …
On Thursday, July 8th, the Technology and Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard and City Possible convened experts from around the globe for a virtual conversation to discuss strategies for bringing back tourism in a sustainable way that also produces inclusive prosperity for great destinations. The global pandemic has devastated the tourism and travel industries. In 2019, …
The term ‘innovation’ is used in many different ways and means many other things to different people. In a way, it is a nebulous concept. When applied to our cities the word can be used for anything from the transformation of a paper process to digital or even drones delivering pizzas. This spectrum of innovation …
Innovation is Relative: How to Measure Innovation in Your City Read More »
The concept of splitting a city into multiple districts in order to focus on the unique local requirements is not new. Today, as we see more and more cities using technology and innovation as a means to improve, there is also an increase in the creation of ‘innovation districts’ or ‘smart districts’. In this article, …
Innovation District vs Smart District: What’s the difference? Read More »
We are seven months into a global pandemic that has shocked, impacted, and changed every aspect of our cities. But what have we learned from it? Let’s explore three valuable lessons cities can learn from the COVID-19 pandemic, with some examples from around the world and thoughts on what cities might do next. Lesson #1: …
3 Valuable Lessons Cities Can Learn from the COVID-19 Pandemic Read More »
The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has forced cities worldwide to rethink how they work, from allowing remote employee access and cybersecurity to maintaining a local economy under lockdown. Unfortunately, the impending disaster also highlighted weaknesses such as lack of internet connectivity and/or a lack of resources to monitor and enforce social distancing. While many changes have …
Innovation Under Isolation: How Cities are Breathing New Life into Communities Read More »
Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases are on the decline in several parts of the world, but even good news heralds difficult challenges for governments trying to keep their populations safe. Opening workplaces and businesses stimulate the economy, for example, but makes social distancing difficult or impossible in some cases, especially on public transportation. Dr. David S. Ricketts, …
COVID-19 Cases Dropping: How Cities Brace for the ‘New Normal’ Read More »
Contact tracing works by identifying which people an infected individual has had recent contact with, who those people have had contact with, and so on — unraveling a spider web of interactions in order to trace the path of a spreading pathogen like coronavirus. Anyone who has been exposed will then need to be isolated …
How COVID-19 Contact Tracing Apps Work for City Governments Read More »
As residents ease back into daily life, contact tracing technology becomes more important than ever. In the meantime, empty streets offer cities the rare opportunity to collect valuable data and improve infrastructure while most people are safe at home. To facilitate knowledge sharing — specifically about COVID-19 — between city leaders, Dr. David S. Ricketts, …
Making the Most of Lockdown: Contact Tracing Apps and City Improvements Read More »
