Tampa focuses on increasing exports

The Port of Tampa already ranks among the nation's top 50 exporting locations according to the International Trade Administration, but it seems that local business leaders are looking to improve that standing. The Tampa Tribune recently reported that the city is currently courting foreign partners to purchase goods shipped from Tampa's port. 

In the past five years, the source reports that exporting activity in Tampa has remained relatively flat, hovering around $6.5 billion annually. In 2011, the Tampa Bay Partnership reported a record high of $7.7 billion. However, the region still faces fierce competition for new business, most notably from the state's largest metropolitan area, Miami. Miami exported $41.8 billion in goods in 2013, and Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn explains that he wants a piece of the action. 

"We don't want all of the business, we just want more of the business," he told The Tampa Tribune. "We have spent a great deal of time over the last three years targeting countries where we have relationships, strategic advantages, cultural similarities and existing trade partners."

Buckhorn says he has been successful in luring some potential partners in the Central and South American corridor. Copa Airlines have already committed to schedule four flights a week to Tampa, which should provide a considerable boost to business. 

With renewed focus on courting international business, organizations may experience the need to meet with potential partners and clients in a setting that shows off Tampa's natural appeal and attention to business. Located only minutes from the airport, On Point Executive Center's waterfront Rocky Point Location is the ideal space. Our Tampa meeting rooms are equipped with 70-inch touchscreen smartboards that can connect with stakeholders all over the globe, so notes can be shared instantly.