Arizona’s Governor is travelling to Taiwan, joined by members of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, Arizona Commerce Authority and Arizona Office of Tourism.
The focus of the week-long trip is to identify and foster import and export opportunities with Taiwan, boost existing trade and government relations, and showcase Arizona as a premier location in which to invest and do business.
Taiwan is Arizona’s 13th largest export trade partner and 7th largest import trade partner. In 2012, Arizona exported more than $320 million worth of products and goods to Taiwan with the majority including machinery, electrical equipment and optics/medical instruments. Imports from Taiwan totaled more than $530 million in 2012. Electrical equipment, machinery and vehicle parts and accessories are Arizona’s three largest imports from Taiwan.
Tourism will be another significant focus of the delegation. As Arizona’s top export industry, tourism drove approximately 38 million global visitors to Arizona in 2012, generating about $19.3 billion to the state economy.
“Travel from Taiwan to the U.S. has risen significantly and is projected to increase even more over the next several years,” said Sherry Henry, Director of the Arizona Office of Tourism. “This mission represents a wonderful opportunity to build upon this growing tourist activity and continue to develop this important relationship to the economic benefit of both Arizona and Taiwan.”