Your Local Contact: Delia Valdivia
Contact Phone Number: (310)235-7203
Contact Email: Delia.Valdivia@mail.doc.gov
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Upcoming International Opportunities
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The Export.gov Trade Leads Database contains pre-screened, time-sensitive leads and Government Tenders gathered through U.S. Commercial Service offices around the world. You can search leads and receive notification when new leads are posted.
To access the Trade Leads Database click here http://www.export.gov/tradeleads
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Upcoming International
Events
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RETAIL BRAZIL
Explore your sales potential in Brazil!
The U.S. Commercial Service is pleased to announce a retail promotion initiative for U.S. exporters wishing to test their products in the Brazilian marketplace or increase market share. Over the next year the U.S. Commercial Service will execute a series of in-store promotions and other events with major Brazilian retailers to launch U.S. products and test the viability of these products in that growing market. With 180 million consumers and a falling US dollar, Brazil represents a huge potential market for a variety of retail goods from the United States.
In 2004, over 100 US companies participated in our original
initiative "Retail in Rio" and many are now enjoying increased
sales in Brazil. This year we are expanding the initiative to
include Rio, Belo Horizonte, São Paulo and Porto Alegre. For more
information or to register
EUROBIKE 2006
September 1-3,
2006
Friedrichshafen, Germany
All sorts of bicycles, equipment, cycling fashion, accessories, tools, workshops and store fittings and furnishings , specialist literature and services will be exhibited at EUROBIKE 2006. For more information: http://www.messe-friedrichshafen.de
SPOGA 2006
September 3-5, 2006
Cologne, Germany
SPOGA, the international trade fair for the Sporting Goods and Camping Equipment. Main product groups: Camping accessories, diving equipment, grills, riding equipment, water sports articles, water technology. The trade show event hosts over 1,200 exhibitors, more than 40,000 visitors attend the show each year.
Equifair 2006
September 6-10, 2006
Calgary, Canada
Equifair is Canada's largest trade fair dedicated to the horse. 2006 is the U.S. Commercial Service's 20th year at this show with a U.S. Pavilion. We offer participants a fully dressed 10x10 booth, logistical support (we employ a duty free zone for our participants), matchmaking breakfast, market assessment, targeted market research, and CS developed contact directories.
Golf Europe 2006
September 29-October 1,
2006
Munich,Germany
The trade show "Golf Europe" is the largest Golf show in Europe. Excellent opportunities exist for U.S. firms in the German and European golf markets. U.S.-made golf equipment is highly regarded in the sophisticated, quality-conscious German market. "Golf Europe" is a specialized show for golf pros, trainee golf pros, members of the PGA of Europe, pro shop operators, pro shop employees, authorized professional buyers from the fields: sport retail shops, department stores, mail order from over 30 countries and over 5,000 strictly in-the-trade visitors from 45 countries. For further information: http://www.golf-europe.com
Intermot 2006
October 11-15, 2006
Cologne Fairgrounds,
Germany
Intermot, the world's largest trade fair for motorcycles and scooters. The 2006 show, which will be held in Cologne again, after moving back from Munich, will be the 5th International Trade Fair for Motorcycles, Scooters, and ATV's. The 2004 edition featured about 1,100 exhibitors and some 150,000 visitors. All major U.S. motorcycle manufacturers are found at this show. Fore more information click http://www.buyusa.gov/germany/en/intermot.html
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Marketing Research
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GENERAL INFORMATION AND FOCUS ON DEVELOPMENTS IN JAMAICA
The World Cup Cricket Competition comes to the Caribbean in 2007.
Activities will take place in Jamaica and the other English
speaking nations.
Upcoming tenders and activities will focus on Tours, Travel, and
Hospitality. Licensing/Merchandising opportunities were made
public in March/April 2005. Most likely, a large partner will be
sought for merchandising and licensing. A Brand and Logo was
launched by mid 2005. Plans included establishing a central
procurement facility to step up activity by the end of March
2005. There will be a rush of activity for a variety of items
such as stadium seats, scoreboards, grounds equipment, etc.
Marketing to the World's Largest Sports Audience - 2010 Soccer World Cup, South Africa
With potentially 2.78 million stadium attendees and a television audience of over a billion people, the FIFA World Cup represents an unequalled opportunity for brand marketers. The organizers of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa are already at work determining which brands will reap the benefits of sponsorship. At the recent Octagon Soccer Football Conference, held in Johannesburg - South Africa, the biggest announcement to big brand marketers attending the conference was - if you want to be one of the "elite six" Worldwide FIFA Soccer World Cup partners, you will need to invest an estimated $125 Million. Big brand marketers were also reminded to budget additional resources to leverage extra value for their sponsorships in terms of direct marketing to audiences.
In January 2005, FIFA announced that the Germany-based corporation Adidas-Salomon will be one of the Official Partners, Suppliers and Licensees for the 2010 Soccer World Cup. One down, five to go. Now is the time for U.S. businesses to cash in on this opportunity.
Austria's largest natural ski jumping facility is ready for the 2006 World Championships
The world's largest natural ski jump facility in Tauplitz/Bad Mittendorf, Province of Styria, was the location of the World Cup ski jumping competition January 14-16, 2005. This event was billed as a "final rehearsal" for the ski jumping world championships in January 2006. In 2004, representatives of the Austrian Government, the province of Styria, and the communities of Tauplitz and Bad Mitterndorf decided to transform the ski jumping hill into a state-of-the-art facility. To improve safety for the participating athletes and the audience, as well as to reduce the strain on the ski jumpers, a double chair lift was built. The infrastructure was also improved tremendously. However, the facility still needs a building for the takeoff area. The plan is for the takeoff area at the top of the jumping hill to be covered by a structure of spectacular design serving various purposes, similar to the Berg Isel model in Innsbruck. The building, expected to give an economic boost to the region, will be finished in time for the championships.
World's second largest spectator winter sports event enthuses athletes and audience
The 22nd Winter World University Games, the world's second largest mass appeal winter sports event took place January 12-22, 2005 in Innsbruck, Austria. Other nearby venues were the Nordic Centers in Seefeld and Hochfilzen, with an emphasis on the biathlon, as well as Telfs, which focused on ice hockey. More than 1,500 students from 53 nations competed in over 10 different disciplines for 69 medals. In addition to the compulsory events in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, ski jumping, Nordic combined, biathlon, snowboarding, figure skating, short track, and ice hockey, the program for these Winter University Games included speed skating as an "optional sport". Competition in the compulsory events was complemented by demo competition for men and women in the skeleton, a relatively new Olympic sledding event. Austria's federal president Heinz Fischer officially opened the Games in a spectacular ceremony. Eight members of the Austrian federal government came to watch the opening show "Frozen Heaven", as did EU Commissioner for Sports and Education Jan Figel, and prominent national and international sport officials like the president of the Austrian Olympic Committee Leo Wallner, and FIS president Gian Franco Kasper.
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Market of the Month:
Azerbaijan
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With a population of a little over eight million, the Republic of Azerbaijan offers a small but fast developing market that has shown impressive, sustained economic growth. Azerbaijan, which gained independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991 and continues its integration with the world economy, is now attracting billions in foreign investment, particularly from companies seeking to gain a market presence in the oil rich Caspian region. The country’s second largest sector is agriculture.
Azerbaijan’s hydrocarbons have attracted approximately $7.3 billion in foreign investment over the past five years and $23 billion total to date. This influx of investment and petrodollars into Azerbaijan’s relatively small market has the economy working on overdrive and offering U.S. export opportunities to satisfy the country’s growing purchasing power. GDP growth in Azerbaijan averaged over 10% per year for 2001 – 04, and reached an unprecedented 26.4% increase in 2005. Growth in GDP is expected to reach over 30% in 2006, driven by substantial increases of oil and gas production and exports.
The main U.S. exports to Azerbaijan include industrial capital equipment, boilers, parts, machinery, aircraft, meat products, electronic equipment, and various services (legal, financial, engineering). The U.S. has maintained a positive trade balance with Azerbaijan, averaging about $120-30 million in annual exports since 2000.
Azerbaijan is in the process of negotiating its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). The United States and Azerbaijan have signed a Bilateral Investment Treaty, which entered into force in August 2001. In November 2004, Fitch, the international ratings agency, raised Azerbaijan's sovereign Long Term Credit Rating on its obligations in foreign and national currencies from BB- to BB, giving the country a "stable" outlook; Fitch reaffirmed this assessment in January, 2006.
Key challenges for Azerbaijan include implementing anti-corruption legislation, improving the legal and regulatory framework for business, maintaining fiscal discipline, and continuing privatization.
Learn more about this market: http://www.export.gov/articles/Azerbaijan_MoM.asp