Trade missions unveil new potential markets

 to attract these markets.

In previous months, MCCI went to three countries to establish foreign trade ties and explore partnerships with new markets in three different countries.

Last September 22 to October 3, MCCI officers along with delegates from Cebu’s local government unit, academe, and private sector went to Russia and visited Moscow, Vladimir Oblast and St. Petersburg.

“Russia is a big untapped market with a very huge spending capacity and they are fond of spending on luxurious things,” said Eric Ng Mendoza, MCCI president.

During their trip to Russia, MCCI was able to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Vladimir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI).

Mendoza said that their MOU with VCCI will enable them to have information exchanges with the Russian businessmen and it will also provide them the opportunities to promote their products and services to the Russian market.

He said that there were good indication that Cebu-based products will hit the Russian market because they were able to generate positive responses after participating on a gift, toys and housewares fair in St. Petersburg.

“There is a big opportunity for Cebuano businessmen in other foreign markets so we should not be limited to our traditional markets such as US. The global economic crises calls that we should do trade links in other countries as well to explore more opportunities,” he said.

On October 13 to 16, MCCI representatives went to Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia to meet with local traders and government representatives and learned and explore tourism linkages in the market.

While on October 27 to 29 they had a trade visit to Taipei, Taiwan where they were able to witness how efficient the technology and facilities of Formosa and Global Business Power, the companies which formed consortium with the Aboitiz Power to build a power plant in Toledo City.

Mendoza said that during a business to business meeting with some Taipei-based companies, two groups who attended where interested to establish trade links with footwear manufacturers in Cebu.

He said that these companies have already been to Marikina but they have been convinced by Governor Garcia, who was with the delegation to also explore the footwear manufactured in Carcar.

Mendoza also said that there was also a hotel firm called the Howard Group who is interested to put up another potential area in the Philippines.

He said that Cebu can offer a lot of business areas to these foreign markets and tourism is one of these growth areas.

Mendoza shared that the “Suroy-Suroy sa Sugbo” caravan which was presented by the governor had stirred the interests of some Taiwanese to come to Cebu.

But he said that other than tourism, creative industries could also be a marketed such as our gifts, toys, housewares and furniture and even our trade and services such as English trainings and short courses as well as medical tourism.

Mendoza said that after their successful trips abroad, they will be preparing for a trade mission to the Philippines by a huge Russian delegation next year and they will also be joining President Arroyo for another trade mission to the Gulf regions this yearend.