Mission Statement
Architecture, Construction & Engineering(ACE)/Tourism Infrastructure
Trade Mission
Mexico City, Mexico
September 6-9, 2005

Mission Description:
The International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Commercial Service will organize an ACE/Tourism Infrastructure Trade Mission to Mexico City, Mexico, September 6-9, 2005. This event will target all sectors of the architecture, construction, and engineering industry related to tourism infrastructure and will focus on helping those companies expand in these markets.

Commercial Setting:
A trade mission to Mexico to explore ACE (architecture/construction/engineering) opportunities in the tourism infrastructure sector in the fall of 2005 provides U.S. ACE firms with a timely opportunity to enter this competitive market. Tourism, one of Mexico's top revenue generators, provides substantial opportunities for U.S. firms to help build and design the infrastructure. In 2005, Mexico's Ministry of Tourism expects that over $1.78 billion will be invested to further develop Mexico's tourism infrastructure. Over 30% of investment in this industry is expected to come from foreign investors.

In addition, we plan on providing the participants with a day of one-on-one prescreened appointments in Mexico City. Although the major tourism sites are outside Mexico City, the ACE firms doing projects in tourism infrastructure are headquartered in Mexico City. After the FONATUR event, we will offer "spin-off" site visits at the major tourism sites for the U.S. firms to glimpse first-hand actual areas of future tourism development. FONATUR has offered to arrange site visits to their five sites (Cancun, Los Cabos, Huatuclo, Loreto and Ixtapa -all beach areas) for interested U.S. participants after the conference.

Mission Goals:
The trade mission is being organized to coincide with FONATUR's annual conference. FONATUR, Mexico's Tourism Infrastructure Agency, organizes its annual conference to attract developers, ACE firms and other tourism experts to participate in developing Mexico's tourism infrastructure. Using this event as a base, the trade mission participants would be able to meet the key players in this industry, network and learn more about specific projects.

Mission Scenario:
The Trade Mission participants will arrive in Mexico City on or before September 6, 2005 to participate in FONATUR annual conference where they will have the opportunity to meet with potential clients in Mexico as well as from neighboring Central American countries. During September 7 - 9, 2005 the embassy will develop a schedule of prescreened/prequalified one-on-one appointments for the U.S. participants.

Timetable:

The Trade Mission will be promoted through the following venues: the Export Assistance Centers and Teams; the Federal Register; relevant trade publications; relevant trade associations; past Matchmaker and Commerce trade mission participants; various in-house and purchased industry lists, and on ITA's Internet home page.

Criteria for Participation:

• Potential for business in the selected markets
  
• Timely submission of the company's completed application and payment of the mission participation fee
  
• Provision of adequate information on the company's products and/or services and communication of the company's primary objectives to facilitate appropriate matching with potential business partners
  
• Certification that the company's products and/or services are manufactured or produced in the United States, or, if manufactured/produced outside of the United States, the product/service must be marketed under the name of a U.S. firm and have U.S. content representing at least 51 percent of the value of the finished good or service. Recruitment will begin immediately, and will close on July 22, 2005, approximately six weeks prior to the start of the mission. The Trade Mission will accommodate at least eight companies. Applications received after that date will be considered only if space and scheduling constraints permit. The participation fee for the event will be $2,000 per company. Any partisan political activities of an applicant, including political contributions, will be entirely irrelevant to the selection process.

Contact Information:
Sam Dhir, Project Officer
Global Trade Programs
U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 2118
Washington, D.C. 20230
Tel: (202) 482-4756/Fax: (202) 482-0178
Email: sam.dhir@mail.doc.gov
Website: http://www.usatrade.gov