St. Gallen: Old structures are slowing down investors – what should be done?

St. Gallen: Old structures are slowing down investors – what should be done?

Today is May 29, 2025, and St. Gallen is faced with challenges that affect its attractiveness as a business location. According to an article on Leader Digital The city is described as an “old lady who tends to be slightly hard of hearing but arrogant” and is lagging behind other regions in its development. The author notes that it is essential for St. Gallen to be more active in attracting investors and their projects.

Compared to central Switzerland, where cities such as Zug, Lucerne and Schwyz drive developments forward through close cooperation between the state and private investors, St. Gallen needs to sharpen its profile. Stronger positioning is required, particularly in the areas of health and digital. However, to achieve this, numerous structural changes and a revision of old thinking are necessary. The current general conditions prevent positive development.

Area development and accessibility

The need for area development near the train station is also highlighted SG.ch underlined. In order to ensure success as a business location, easily accessible areas must be created. This includes the development of real estate projects and the creation of appropriate framework conditions for companies.

Improving accessibility is another key requirement to increase attractiveness for investors. Political will is required to be independent of transfer payments and thus bring about real change.

Long-term perspectives

The author of Leader Digital realistically only sees the possibility of St. Gallen being perceived as an attractive business location in 2045 or later, as the target year of 2030 is already seen as having been missed. Strengthening the education and research location and promoting technological skills are essential steps on this path.

In summary, St. Gallen urgently needs to work on its competitiveness in order not to fall further behind other regions. This requires a rethink in location policy and increased cooperation between the public and private sectors.