What is a World Trade Centre?
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The World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) is a global organisation, with headquarters in New York, formed with the purpose of enhancing world trade. The WTCA achieves its mission by offering a great variety of services that helps companies engage in international business.
There are currently over 300 World Trade Centres serving 750,000 companies; 30% in Western Europe, 25% in North America and 19% in Asia.
Each World Trade Centre offers its members services that are reciprocal and can be accessed at all operating World Trade Centres. World Trade Centre members can access state-of-the-art business support services, ranging from temporary office space to online data access and video conferencing. The value added services which generate the most economic growth include:
Trade Strategies and Market Positioning
World Trade Centres provide community leadership and trade strategies for the promotion of trade in their cities and regions. World Trade Centre Miami has created a strategy that has helped position Miami-Dade County as the recognized “Trade and Logistics Capital of the Americas” producing $4 billion in sales and sustaining 5,000 jobs over the last five years.
Trade Missions
World Trade Centres help organise and take part in outbound missions to explore new markets and receive incoming business groups. World Trade Centre Taipei generated $1.69 billion sales in 2002 as a result of such missions.
Trade Information & Market Research
World Trade Centres provide current information on products and services in their respective regions; perform customised trade research; and offer contacts, leads and referrals. World Trade Centre St. Louis has provided international market research to more than 2,000 companies since 1993.
Trade Education Services
World Trade Centres offer practical international trade courses about key local and global business issues, with seminars, workshops, counselling, training and speaker programmes. World Trade Centre Montreal has trained more than 3,000 individuals in trade related programmes.
Trade Shows and Exhibitions
World Trade Centres take a leading role in hosting trade-oriented events, and have year-round display space for local products and services. World Trade Centre Sao Paulo hosts an average of 750 events annually, attracting more than 100,000 visitors.
Flexible format
World Trade Centres range from being virtual-only services to large buildings or complexes with business club, hotel, workspace, conference, exhibition facilities. All provide a one-stop-shop for information and trade links; many provide ‘front of house’ facilities for companies to do business in high quality surroundings.
