What is trade mission and why valuable to join

Because of their ‘group power’ and high profile, trade missions can create export opportunities through:

• Wider media coverage

• Increased access to potential customers

• Direct contact with political and business decision makers

• The comfort of being part of a group when visiting a market with special features, eg. poor security or a prominent role for the State in trading

• Lower travel costs because of bulk travel, accommodation and shared promotions

• Greater visibility at overseas events, such as trade shows and exhibitions

• Effective support networks of ‘like’ exporters

• Easier access to information about potential markets, competitive products and new technologies and trends

Overseas buying missions visiting your country also provide opportunities for you to promote your products and services. These missions give individual exporters the chance to impress a number of potential customers at the one time – for instance, by demonstrating production methods and offering on-site tours. And they save your money as the buyers are coming to you, not vice-versa.