The U.S. Embassy is organizing a five-day commercial mission to Florida for Costa Rican businesses interested in expanding their reach overseas, according to an embassy representative.
Running Oct. 19-24, the mission will be the first of its kind and will occur about a month after Costa Rica is set to formally approve the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA) on Sept. 30.
“The most important part (of the mission) is that it would be the first pro- CAFTA activity (organized by the embassy),” said Gabriela Lücke, an embassy commercial specialist.
Several factors make Florida an attractive locale for Costa Rican business owners, according to the embassy. Miami is the principal commercial port between the United States and other CAFTA countries.
Transportation is frequent and relatively inexpensive between Florida and Costa Rica. Spanish is also widely spoken in the state.
Costa Rica was Miami’s No. 7 trading partner in 2007, with overall trade reaching almost $3.7 billion, according to WorldCity, a Web site amassing statistics on globalization.
Automobile, medical equipment and domestic appliance industries would benefit the most from the embassy’s mission, according to Lücke.
The embassy will accept anywhere from 18 to 20 businesses. All expenses, except airfare, are included in the $1,950 price tag.
For more information, contact Gabriela Lücke at 2519-2271 or at gabriela.lucke@mail.doc.gov.
