Export Promotion Services Matchmaker Program will lead a Matchmaker Trade Delegation to Brazil, Chile and Venezuela, August 17-24, 1998. The Matchmaker will target the sporting goods industry, including fitness equipment, marine, and winter sports. The focus of the delegation will be to match participating U.S. companies with qualified agents, distributors, representatives, licensees, and joint venture partner in these markets. The delegation will be led by Derek Parks, Project Officer, Matchmaker Program.
In Brazil, U.S. suppliers enjoy a very good reputation for the high quality of their products and equipment versus local domestic products. Further scheduled reductions in import duties will be responsible for a jump in imports. Up until 1990, imports of sporting goods were not allowed in Brazil, particularly when a similar product was manufactured in the country. The U.S. is expected to have 35% of the total import market. The most promising subsectors for U.S. exporters are bicycles and accessories and gymnastics equipment.
In Chile, approximately five million people actively participate in sports, with over two million affiliated with about 2,000 sports clubs. DIGEDER, the government's sporting and recreational agency, promotes and develops sports centers and activities. Sports growing in popularity in Chile include bicycling, camping, windsurfing, and water skiing. Private investment has focused on ski and sea resorts. Imports dominate the market, except for some local production of small to medium sized recreational boats and bicycles. U.S.-made products are especially well-respected in Chile. The most promising subsectors camping and outdoor equipment, tennis and ski equipment, and bicycles and parts.
All types of sports are very popular in Venezuela, especially baseball, soccer, tennis and water sports. Competition is strong from suppliers from Asian countries. The most promising subsectors in Venezuela are gymnasium equipment, tennis equipment, pleasure boats and water sports equipment.
The Matchmaker's goal is to gain first-hand market information and provide access to key government officials and potential business partners for new-to-market, new-to-export U.S. sporting goods firms desiring to enter the markets in Brazil, Chile and Venezuela.
Participants will spend two days in Sao Paulo, one day in Rio, two days in Santiago and one optional spin-off day in Caracas. At each stop, the Commercial Service will provide an extensive market briefing highlighting opportunities in the sporting goods industry, schedule one-on-one appointments with potential business partners for each participant, and arrange a
reception to introduce the participants to key business and government officials in the industry. Participants can expect to meet with 8-12 pre-screened business partners per stop.
Mission participants will arrive in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Sunday, August 16 and will have business meetings there on August 17 and 18. The group will travel by plane to Rio on the evening of August 18 and have a full day of business meetings the following day. The group will travel the evening of August 19 to Santiago, Chile. Business meetings will be held in Chile from August 20- 21. The official portion of the program ends in Chile on August 21. Group members will also have the option of traveling to Caracas, Venezuela, for a day of business meetings on August 24.
Matchmaker promotion will include but not be limited to the following venues: EAC's and Teams; Business America Magazine; relevant trade publications; relevant trade associations; past Matchmaker and Commerce trade mission participants; various in-house and purchased industry lists. The Matchmaker will also be listed in the Federal Register and on ITA's Internet home page.
Recruitment will begin on January 5 and will close on June 22, eight weeks prior to the start of the mission.
Any partisan political activities of an applicant, including political contributions, will be entirely irrelevant to the selection process.
Derek Parks, Project Officer
Matchmaker Trade Delegations Program
U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 2810
Washington, D.C. 20230
Tel: (202) 482-0287
Fax: (202) 482-0178
Email: Dparks@doc.gov
Homepage: www.ita.doc.gov/exportmatch