Tucked near the back of one of the world's largest airshows is a modest pavilion for the state of Florida, where a handful of businesses are trying to get a piece of the billions being invested in the aviation industry by wealthy Arab governments.
Facing stagnation and even economic downturn back home, 11 Florida companies are hawking aviation equipment and training services at the Dubai Airshow, located in a sprawling Arabian desert site that will soon be home to the region's newest mega-airport.
The industry's most lucrative deals are increasingly being inked in the Middle East, and the biennial airshow gives businesses a chance to promote their products globally. Nearly $200 billion in deals have been announced over the first two days. Florida, which has more than 2,000 aviation and aerospace companies operating there, is the only U.S. state represented.
The Florida businesses really are small fish among the 1,055 exhibitors _ including the biggest names in defense and civil aviation _ in the airshow's massive exhibition hall, which is about the size of seven American football fields.
"We like to think we are very aggressive in promoting our target industries," Manuel Mencia, the senior vice president of International Trade & Business Development at Enterprise Florida, said. "We feel the Middle East has great potential for Florida and Dubai is a great gateway to Southeast Asia, especially India."
19/11/13 AP/Daily American.com
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Facing stagnation and even economic downturn back home, 11 Florida companies are hawking aviation equipment and training services at the Dubai Airshow, located in a sprawling Arabian desert site that will soon be home to the region's newest mega-airport.
The industry's most lucrative deals are increasingly being inked in the Middle East, and the biennial airshow gives businesses a chance to promote their products globally. Nearly $200 billion in deals have been announced over the first two days. Florida, which has more than 2,000 aviation and aerospace companies operating there, is the only U.S. state represented.
The Florida businesses really are small fish among the 1,055 exhibitors _ including the biggest names in defense and civil aviation _ in the airshow's massive exhibition hall, which is about the size of seven American football fields.
"We like to think we are very aggressive in promoting our target industries," Manuel Mencia, the senior vice president of International Trade & Business Development at Enterprise Florida, said. "We feel the Middle East has great potential for Florida and Dubai is a great gateway to Southeast Asia, especially India."
19/11/13 AP/Daily American.com
