Governor Crist to visit UK in July

[British Consul]

I thought I read a post from someone about Governor Crist visiting the UK in July, it seems to have been deleted now. But, for anyone who is interested, there is more about the visit here: http://www.britainusa.com/consular/articles_show_nt1.asp?i=34514&L1=34500&L2=34514&a=48282&d=-1

Dean

[anniefromessex]

Let me at him!!!

Love Anniexxx

[Susie]

here is the wording


Governor Crist Announces UK Team Florida Trade and Business Development Mission
Published By : British Consulate, Orlando, 30 May 2008

Governor Charlie Crist today announced the Team Florida Trade and Business Development Mission to the United Kingdom, as well as to France, Russia and Spain, on July 12-22, 2008, to encourage trade and investment in Florida and its international partners with a focus on aerospace, aviation and alternative energy. The Governor will hold high-level meetings with senior government officials and business representatives during the mission.

"The UK and other countries in Europe include some of Florida's most important international partners, in both trade and tourism," said Governor Crist. "I look forward to strengthening our relationships and working toward developing new economic opportunities for the Sunshine State."

Florida and the UK enjoy strong economic ties, with two-way merchandise trade valued at $2.8 billion, making the UK Florida's thirteenth largest trading partner. Further, the UK is ranked second in terms of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Florida, totaling $4 billion in 2005. At present, one-third of all British firms in the United States operate in Florida, and about one in five Floridians working for a foreign-affiliated company are employed by a British firm. In total, British-affiliated companies employ more Floridians than companies from any other foreign country, with 335 subsidiaries employing more than 41,000.

In terms of tourism, the United Kingdom is Florida's top overseas tourism market, with 1.34 million United Kingdom arrivals for 2006. On average, travelers from the UK spend nearly two weeks in Florida and $3,196, with 72.5 percent traveling to Orlando, 15.3 percent to Miami and 12.5 percent to the Tampa/St. Petersburg area.

During the Team Florida Trade and Business Development Mission, the Governor will inaugurate the Florida Pavilion at the Farnborough Air Show, one of the largest aerospace and aviation shows in the world, as well as deliver keynote addresses at events hosted by the Atlantic Partnership and Visit Florida Inc. Among other meetings, the Governor will also meet with Robert Tuttle, United States Ambassador to the UK; His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales; The Right Reverend James Jones, the Bishop of Liverpool; Dr. Kim Howells, Deputy Foreign Minister; and Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for the Environment. A delegation from Florida will also have the opportunity to focus on climate change by meeting with the Carbon Trust, the UK government's official agency on climate change.

Governor Crist will also travel to France, where he will meet with senior government officials and visit a nuclear facility to promote partnerships between Florida and France in the area of alternative energy. France is a world leader in the production of nuclear energy and is Florida's 12th largest trading partner. Bilateral trade reached $3.1 billion in 2007, an increase of 17.9 percent from 2006. Additionally, France is Florida's sixth largest source of FDI, at more than $1.2 billion in 2005.

Following France, Governor Crist will travel to Russia to meet with government and business leaders to promote Florida-Russia economic relations. This visit follows the recently announced United States-Russia Economic Dialogue, ensuring that Florida is well positioned to advance United States-Russia bilateral trade and investment. Two-way trade between Florida and Russia was more than $986 million in 2007.

Lastly, Governor Crist will visit Spain, meeting with government officials and private sector representatives to discuss Florida-Spain trade and investment, and partnerships in alternative energy. Nearly 400 Spanish companies in Florida have invested more than $200 million, and there are more subsidiaries of Spanish companies in Florida than from any country in the world. Two-way trade between Florida and Spain was more than $950 million in 2007. Additionally, between 2009 and 2015, a number of events throughout Florida are being planned to celebrate the long history of Spanish influence in the Sunshine State.

Coordinated by Enterprise Florida Inc., the Team Florida delegation will include business and governmental leaders, as well as representatives from economic development organizations and state research institutions. This will be the Governor's third business development mission since taking office in 2007. Most recently, last November the Governor led the largest single-state delegation to Brazil in United States history, which generated more than $300 million in actual and anticipated sales.

[Susie]

I do hope Mr Crist realizes that Brits or anyone from another country has many hills to climb before being able to invest into the USA, maybe he could meet with the powers that be within the USCIS and dept of State first and help redress the problems in obtaining and renewing E investment visa's

[Major Smasher]

When I wrote to Governor Crist a few months back (feels like decades ago) I mentioned the damage that the current immigration system is doing to US-Anglo economic relations.

Ironic that he is going over there to look at the aviation/aerospace aspect of the economic equation. That is an area that I have a unique perspective on, being English and trying to break into the U.S. aerospace industry.

On a side note I used to live not to far from Farnborough and loved it whenever the airshow rolled around.

Well time for me to get back to working on my airplane.

Have a day

Chris