 Morocco’s Gamble Pays Off in Vegas
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The USAID New Business Opportunities’ program provided financial support for designing marketing tips and promoting the export-ready Moroccan businesses exhibiting in bi-annual Las Vegas Magic show |
Moroccan apparel exporters were a stand-out at the MAGIC Trade Show in Las Vegas in August 2006 and February 2007. Large outdoor posters (the only ones noticeable from outside of the main Exhibition Hall), banners at the registration counter, posters at the pavilion location, and ads in key directories led trade show organizers to remark that the Moroccan delegation was the most visible. This high visibility paid off handsomely for several of the Moroccan exporters.
August was the fourth time that Moroccan exporters attended the major bi-annual event; it was the first with the support of USAID’s New Business Opportunities (NBO) program. The results were clearly positive netting four of the 10 exhibitors’ significant orders from U.S. buyers worth approximately $11 million.
The NBO program assists and coaches export-ready Moroccan businesses to increase exports to the United States through the Free Trade Agreement (FTA). For the MAGIC show, the NBO team provides both financial support for designing and promoting the exhibit and marketing tips to the Moroccan delegation. The delegation members also meet with NBO technical experts to discuss product selection and merchandising tactics for the exhibit.
During the February 2007’s MAGIC show, eleven companies exhibited a variety of apparel products from jeans to women and children’s wear. The Moroccan pavilion which was designed and financed by USAID was awarded a “Best in Show” prize in booth design by the show organizers. The pavilion demonstrated the range of textile and apparel products currently produced in Morocco and also promoted the importance of the US-Morocco Free Trade Agreement (FTA) for US importers with a “duty free “ logo as a key selling point. |
