International Trade Bureau
www.itb.co.za

New Trade Centre designed to maximise trade opportunities

The new ABSA International Trade Bureau showcases the most comprehensive range of SA products and services under one roof.

Exports to and from South Africa will soon receive a major boost, thanks to a multi-million dollar 2200m2 permanent exhibition facility situated directly opposite the International Terminal at Johannesburg International Airport (JIA). Known as the ABSA International Trade Bureau (AITB), the new venue is built along the same lines as other trade centres around the world and is the first of its kind in Africa.

South African Trade and Exhibition facility
Johannesburg International Airport (JIA) is Africa's busiest airport - over 14.5 million travellers used it in 2005, 1.7 million of whom were business travellers visiting South Africa and transiting through the country.

The trade and exhibition facility is the brainchild of the International Trade Bureau (ITB), a South African private sector international trade promotion company with extensive experience in international trade consulting, market research, trade facilitation and trade exhibitions. Significantly, the project enjoys the support of trade and investment promotion agencies and industry associations across South Africa.

In addition to offering exhibition space to 122 of South Africa's leading exporters from fourteen major industry sectors, the AITB provides meeting rooms, offices, a business information library, and refreshment areas. The five-star Airport Sun Inter-Continental and new Domestic Terminal B both have world-class conference facilities and are only a few steps away.

The AITB also offers a comprehensive range of trade facilitation services to commercial visitors, making it easy and convenient to do business in South Africa. "Tying up international trade deals can be complex and risky," says Nicholas Mason, AITB's Marketing Manager, "Experience has shown us that business travellers appreciate expert assistance, especially in matters of local knowledge. We're going all-out to provide help in every way we can."

That help comes in the form of a complete "concierge" service to foreign visitors, arranging accommodation and transfers at preferential rates, scheduling itineraries, and providing back office support services. Research and information available on site include a comprehensive database of South African companies, information on the local market, product catalogues, trade directories, publications, tariff schedules, trade laws and regulations, market research reports, trade statistics and much more. Most of these benefits and services are offered to arriving international business travellers at no charge.

For a competitive fee, several additional services can be provided:

It's clear, even at a cursory glance, that Mason and his ITB colleagues and partners have the right credentials to make the project a success. The team has extensive local and international trade and industry experience, and this is backed by a partnership with major South African stakeholders: the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), ABSA Bank, and the Gauteng branch of the National African Federated Chambers of Commerce Et Industry (NAFCOC), one of the shareholders in the project and key liaison with the government.

The ideal location of the trade centre - on the doorstep of Africa's busiest airport - is another powerful feature in its favour, according to Mason. "Well over a million international business travellers from more than 200 countries arrive at JIA every year, so creating a trade bureau at the airport itself definitely made sense," he says. "But we've also added extra value with all kinds of trade support as well as conference centres and executive accommodation. Travellers looking to expand trade into South Africa or the continent will find that the AITB is exactly what they've been looking for."

For more information, contact

Nicholas Mason at +27 11 325 0600 or +27 82 376 3879.

Alternatively, email him on nicholas@itb.co.za or visit www.itb.co.za.

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