Top 10 Smart Cities in the World – Find Out Why They Are So Smart
The future of cities is certainly bright and there are several smart cities that are emerging to join the ranks of the world’s leading hubs of innovation. Leading innovation processes, innovation strategies and practices and the implementation of the latest technological innovations and capabilities will create new value added services, new economic model and new employment markets for all. However, the growth and development must start in the right places and this is where smart strategy planning and program execution become extremely important. A top 10 smart city should embrace the concept of smart growth in order to realize its full potential and contribute significantly to its region’s economy.
In developing a list of the top 10 smart cities, certain criteria should be considered. First, the overall performance of the metropolis should be reviewed. It should be analyzed based on its performance on basic performance indicators including, economic status, population, tourism industry, quality of life, etc. The overall performance should be compared with the national and other benchmarks.
The top 10 smart cities should also have advanced planning systems, and a well developed public-private partnership to provide smart city solutions for the citizens. The development of the cities can only be successful if the government and the business leaders work hand in hand to design a comprehensive plan for the metropolis. The top 10 cities listed should also have a good performing education system with highly rated colleges and universities. The overall infrastructure of the cities should be able to cope with the rapid population growth. The integration of advanced technology systems is also important to improve the productivity and efficiency of the metropolis.
A smart and a strategic planning process to implement the smart urban planning processes should be adopted in the top 10 smart cities like London. For this, the government should adopt open data, transparency and accountability in improving the service delivery in the city. The main benefits of open data in such a case include: creation of a platform for greater interaction between citizens and the government; increase in transparency and accountability of the decision-making; and a reduction in the misuse of police powers and other abuse of power by the executive.
The increasing crime rate and unemployment rate in the UK is one of the major reasons that has resulted in the reduction in the tourism and visitors in the city. With the opening up of the rail network in London, more number of people from outside the country are visiting the city on a regular basis. With this increase in the visitors, the demand for hotels in the city has gone up as well, forcing the hotels industry to expand. Even in the present scenario, an impressive list of five stars and boutique hotels have made an entry in the city, which is further pushing up the housing demand.
Also on the top 10 smart cities in the world list is Toronto. Toronto is considered as one of the world’s top cities for both business and leisure travel. It is a world leader in providing innovation and technology-based jobs to the people of the region. Moreover, the low-carbon economy and strong social media presence are also contributing factors to Toronto’s rise in the world tourism ranking. All these factors and more make Toronto an ideal location for both exporters and importers to base their businesses in.
Apart from Toronto, another one of the top 10 smart cities in the world is London. A city rich in history and culture, London is a popular tourist destination and home to numerous important institutions and businesses. Some of the most notable landmarks of London include the Buckingham Palace and Madame Tussauds Wax Museum. Apart from being a popular tourist destination, London has many important financial centers as well across the world, making it a profitable place for those who want to invest in the financial markets.
Tokyo is another top IT city in the world. A city known for its amazing culture and art, Tokyo has become an attraction for both domestic and international tourists. Among the most prominent places of interest in Tokyo are Meiji shrine, Imperial palace, National Museum, Imperial gardens, Kyudo Station, National Museum of Modern Art, National Gallery, parks, etc. As far as the demographics are concerned, Tokyo is fairly evenly balanced between the young and old, with around 50% of the population being in the age group of thirty or above.
Deepak Wadhwani has over 20 years experience in software/wireless technologies. He has worked with Fortune 500 companies including Intuit, ESRI, Qualcomm, Sprint, Verizon, Vodafone, Nortel, Microsoft and Oracle in over 60 countries. Deepak has worked on Internet marketing projects in San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange Country, Denver, Nashville, Kansas City, New York, San Francisco and Huntsville. Deepak has been a founder of technology Startups for one of the first Cityguides, yellow pages online and web based enterprise solutions. He is an internet marketing and technology expert & co-founder for a San Diego Internet marketing company.