By Vernon Khelawan Thursday, March 25 2010

AS the countdown to this year’s Trade and Investment Convention (TIC) continues, Computers and Electronics is the sector that is showing the most buyer interest at this time - a scenario that is not altogether surprising - given the digital world in which we now live.

Reports are that hundreds of buyers, local and international, have already registered for this year’s Convention (TIC 2010) and the list includes purchasers, agents, distributors, government procurement representatives as well as companies interested in joint venture opportunities not only in Trinidad and Tobago but in the wider Caribbean.

Completing up the top five sectors are: Multisectoral (cross-sector distributorship); Household Products; Furniture and Appliances and Agriculture. These are followed by Paper and Printing; Plastics and Rubber Products; Automotive; Textiles and Apparel and Real Estate.

This has led TIC Chairman Anthony Aboud to reveal that buyers have indicated clear preferences for new sources of supply, given the global economic climate. “As the world economy begins a slow but steady climb towards growth, corporate and public sector buyers are looking for new sources of goods and services, with a view to reducing their costs and improving their operational efficiencies,” he said.

Aboud added that exhibitors would be able to use the structured business-to-business networking systems at TIC 2010 to show buyers how these can assist in fulfilling their business objectives. TIC will track each buyer’s specific commercial interests and will help buyers and exhibitors identify opportunities in common through its B2B Matchmaking service so that parties can begin negotiations right there at the Convention.

Some of the business benefits as identified by TIC organisers include the opportunity to meet thousands of local, regional and international buyers and potential business partners.