Magazines Archives - 2008 October

US NASDA schedules China road show for NRA 2009
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IN recognition of the importance of China as a market, the US National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) has scheduled a trade mission to the country next month to drum up interest for the 2009 National Restaurant Association (NRA) Restaurant, Hotel and Motel Show to be held in the US.

NASDA director for trade shows DeWitt Ashby said the China trade mission for the 90th instalment of the NRA Show would “include working days [in] the week of November 3 and the beginning of the week of November 10”, and would touch base with potential participants in Shanghai, Dalian, Chongxing, Changchu, Qingdao and Beijing, among other cities.

“We have chosen China because of its importance and variety — it’s actually many markets in one — and also because our partners at FAS (Foreign Agricultural Service) of the US Department of Agriculture have chosen to make [the country] a point of emphasis,” said Ashby, who was inadvertently referred to as Dr Ashby in the NRA Show 2008 review, carried in the July issue of RETAIL ASIA.

The trade mission, he said, aims to increase the number of Chinese participants to the NRA Show to over 200, from 186 previously. “We expect that the mission to China will expose many key players in the hotel, restaurant and import [businesses], and related areas, to the NRA Show.”

Ashby added: “After the mission, we will work to support the Chinese visitors in their preparations [for the show] and during their visit. This will include opportunities for discounted group travel, a trade briefing at the beginning of the NRA Show, and a group dinner party.

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