As the core city of the West of England, Bristol continues to attract investment and talent, driving a diverse and innovative economy, while working closely with neighbouring authorities and regional partners to deliver growth at scale.
From the new town at Brabazon in South Gloucestershire, to growth zones across North Somerset and Bath and North East Somerset, major opportunities sit on our doorstep. We work closely with our regional partners to connect opportunities to Bristol’s workforce, infrastructure and markets, ensuring growth across the wider region is joined up, sustainable and delivered at scale.
The city benefits from exceptional national and international connectivity. Direct rail links from Bristol reach London within 90 minutes, and Cardiff within an hour, acting as a gateway to both the South West and South Wales.
Bristol Airport provides access to major European and global markets, while the Port of Bristol operates as a strategic gateway for trade and logistics, serving supply chains that reach far beyond the region.
A new 20,000‑capacity indoor venue is under construction within Bristol’s city boundary, neighbouring the region’s newest city district at Brabazon. Scheduled to open in 2028, it will be the largest venue of its kind in the West of England.
Once built it will support major national and international events, host tourism and conferences, and strengthen Bristol’s role as a connected, nationally significant destination for both business and culture.
Bristol is home to people from over 187 countries of birth, speaking more than 90 languages, and almost one in five residents was born outside the UK. We are proud of that diversity and continue to learn from our history as an historic port city shaped by international trade, commerce and movement.
We recognise the contribution our diverse and diasporic communities have made to shaping Bristol as it is today, and we build on those connections every day. Our diaspora networks strengthen relationships, open up access to new markets and support trade and investment. Businesses, organisations and community leaders all play a part in linking Bristol to international opportunities and partnerships.
Our International Ambassadors programme aims to strengthen existing connections and develop new opportunities to partner with cities across the globe that face similar challenges to Bristol.
Our current International Ambassadors are:
We have twinning arrangements with seven partner cities—Beira (Mozambique), Bordeaux (France), Hannover (Germany), Guangzhou (China), Oporto (Portugal), Puerto Morazán (Nicaragua) and Tbilisi (Georgia). These formal partnerships provide a practical platform for collaboration, bringing together organisations, institutions and communities across cities to share knowledge, build relationships and develop joint opportunities.
We use these relationships to strengthen international links, support exchange across culture, education and business, and create connections that can open up routes into new markets and partnerships over time. These relationships are a central part of our international work and Global City strategy. We maintain and develop them through the council, city partners and the Bristol International Twinning Association, as well as through the work of volunteers.
We are building a strong international reputation as a city that is sustainable, innovative and inclusive. We work with networks including EUROCITIES, ICLEI, Commonwealth Local Government Forum, Mayors Migration Council, The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group and UNESCO Creative Cities
Alongside this, we collaborate with organisations including World Economic Forum (WEF), various United Nations agencies, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Open Society Foundations and Brookings Institution to support innovation, knowledge exchange and deliver outcomes for Bristol.
