Economic Data, Real Decisions: why forecasting offers a smarter path for cities

What happens when a city trades vibes for economic intelligence? Budapest's District 8 — one of Central Europe's most socially and spatially diverse areas — partnered with Oxford Economics to find out. This session reveals how the collaboration transformed economic data into actionable urban strategy. Attendees will learn how economic forecasts are reshaping decisions on urban development plans, asset management, as well as housing and mobility strategies — and how the analysis can be replicated elsewhere. Whether you lead a municipality or policy team, this session is for you: what data to use, what questions to ask, and how to turn intelligence into decisions that work for residents.