Commonwealth Games 2014 international trade vision

First Minister Alex Salmond will today (Wednesday, June 18) publish a programme of events encouraging Scottish businesses to seize opportunities arising from the Commonwealth Games.

‘Connecting the Commonwealth’, ‘Global Sports Opportunities’, ‘Life & Chemical Sciences Showcase’ and ‘International Market Awareness’ are just some of the workshops and events that will take place at Scotland House in Glasgow. Scotland House partners including Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, VisitScotland, EventScotland, Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and Glasgow City Marketing Bureau will host a range of business to business events during Games time. The events aim to promote collaboration and partnerships between sectors, and to assist companies to break into new markets.

Of the £313 million Commonwealth Games contracts awarded to date, £257 million (82%) has been secured by Scottish companies. While this demonstrates the immediate financial gain to Scottish companies of the Games, the Scotland House programme aims to galvanise long-term and on-going partnership and investment by putting Scottish business on a global stage.

As well as the Scotland House programme, the First Minister will invite international buyers to the Showcasing Scotland event: the largest meet-the-buyer event ever coordinated for the food and drink industry. So far, 75 Scottish companies have registered to meet buyers from across the Commonwealth and beyond to showcase their produce and discuss trade and export opportunities.

Unveiling the programme, the First Minister said:

“With the return of the Queen’s Baton to Scotland last weekend, there is a tangible and mounting excitement around the Games. We want that excitement to extend beyond sporting competition and get Scotland’s business community considering what opportunities the Games can offer them.

“The Showcasing Scotland event will exhibit our first class produce, underpinning Scotland’s position as a land of food and drink. Scottish food exports are one of our great success stories and this is a fantastic opportunity for international buyers to see the very best of Scotland’s natural larder.

“And there is already plenty of evidence to show Scottish companies across a range of sectors can benefit financially from the Games – 82% of Commonwealth Games contracts already awarded have gone to Scottish companies, that amounts to £257 million. Our Scotland House business programme has been created to encourage long-term trade and investment and to show the existing support available to companies looking to break into new markets, and to help join the dots between sectors. From education and creative industries to energy and science, Scotland has a wealth of expertise and skill.

“Between the Scotland House programme and the Commonwealth Games Business Conference, Scotland has an exceptional platform to show the Commonwealth there is no better export than our people and our ingenuity. Our Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games legacy goes beyond sport and I want to see Scotland grasp those opportunities with both hands.”

Dr Lena Wilson, Chief Executive, Scottish Enterprise, said:

“We’ve created a programme of business events around the Games that complement our day-to-day support and includes delivering the Commonwealth Games Business Conference, our Scotland House events and our Showcasing Scotland event. All of these will showcase our country's most exciting sectors and companies to an international audience.

“We want Scottish businesses to connect with new and emerging international markets to open up new avenues of growth. Throughout this year we have an unparalleled opportunity to build a long-term international trade and investment legacy for our economy using a range of exciting business activity that we, and our partners, will deliver.”