From April 30 to May 3, the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal and its Acclr experts accompanied six Montréal companies on a trade mission to Florida. This eighth Florida mission was carried out in partnership with the Canada Florida Chamber of Commerce. .
Florida: a market to explore
This particular trade mission focused on the tourism industry and its value chain. Florida welcomed more than 118 million tourists in 2017, leading to more than USD 90 billion in economic spin-offs. The Sunshine State is a major economic hub of the US. With 2.2% GDP growth in 2017 and 21 million inhabitants (making it the third most populous American state), Florida is a strategic market for Montréal and Quebec businesses.
The trade mission
The mission visited three cities: Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. It has generated several networking opportunities and B2B (business-to-business) meetings between Montréal and local companies.
“Time networking with local businesses and other participants allowed us to share our different realities and learn to help each other.”
Participants also attended an information session on Florida’s economic outlook at the Consulate General of Canada in Miami. They learned more about several of the state’s counties. They also had the opportunity to speak with the mayor of West Palm Beach, Keith A. James.
“This mission really opened my eyes to the importance of a steadily growing market with endless opportunities. I was pleasantly surprised to discover how many Canadian companies have a significant presence in Florida’s market.”
Next steps
The mission enabled participating companies to engage in a number of conversations with local companies and organizations. This will allow them to develop their activities in the Florida market.
“The next step will be to continue to maintain existing relationships and organize trips, in the coming months and years, to visit targeted companies in order to better define our common needs and interests.”
“There are many organizations willing to help Canadian companies develop their business opportunities in Florida. It’s really up to us to learn from and take advantage of these resources.”