United States of America Business
• Main exports: Computers and electrical machinery, vehicles, chemical products, food and live animals and military equipment and aircraft.
• Main imports: Industrial supplies, computers, telecommunications equipment, automobiles and clothing.
• Main trade partners: Canada, China (PR), Mexico, Japan and Germany.
Economy
The enormous influence of US-based multinational companies within the world economy affords unparalleled global influence and allows its currency unique international status.
Large areas of the USA, particularly in the Midwest, are under cultivation and produce a wide range of commodities: important are cotton, grain and tobacco, all exported on a large scale. Principal mining operations produce oil, gas, coal, copper, iron, uranium and silver. US industry leads in steel production, automotive manufacturing, aerospace technology, telecommunications, chemical engineering, electronics, computer-based commerce and manufactured goods.
The largest employment is in the service sector, finance, leisure and tourism. The unemployment rate in 2006 was 4.8%, with growth at 2.9% and inflation at 3.2%.
Business Etiquette
Office hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1730.
Conferences & Conventions
There are several magazines aimed at helping the conference organiser; they include Meeting & Conventions Magazine (website: www.mcmag.com), Successful Meetings Magazine (website: www.mimegasite.com) and Corporate Meetings and Incentive Magazine (website: www.meetingsnet.com).
Three of the largest convention and trade show venues in the USA are Las Vegas, New York and Chicago, with Las Vegas holding the top position for a number of years.
Organisers interested in US venues should contact the US Travel Industry Association or the travel organisations listed in the individual state sections. In addition to the state organisations, addresses of travel and convention organisations for cities and counties are also included. For more information, go online (website: www.tradeshowweek.com).
Business Contacts
1 Battery Park Plaza, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004, USA
Tel: (212) 493 7400.
Website: www.pfnyc.org
The US Chamber of Commerce
1615 H Street, NW, Washington, DC 20062, USA
Tel: (202) 659 6000 or 1 800 638 6582 in the USA and Canada only.
Website: www.uschamber.com
The Trade Information Center - US Department of Commerce
Tel: 1 800 872 8723 in the USA and Canada only.
Website: www.tradeinfo.doc.gov
The National Foreign Trade Council
1625 K Street, NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20006, USA
Tel: (202) 887 0278.
Website: www.nftc.org
British American Business Inc
52 Vanderbilt Avenue, 20th Floor, New York, NY 10017, USA
Tel: (212) 661 4060.
Website: www.babinc.org
British American Business Inc in the UK
75 Brook Street, London W1K 4AD, UK
Tel: (020) 7290 9888.
Website: www.babinc.org
Fresh ideas are just one click away...
Travel Deals
-
Finland Family holidays There is something about the snow in Finland that makes you wonder if the locals sneak out at night and spray it with a coat of brilliant white paint – it
-
Finland Activity & adventure holidays Finnish Lapland has enormous areas of untouched wilderness and mile upon mile of wild rolling fells. This vast open countryside, sparkling in the winter sunshine, just begs to be explored by
-
Orlando Adrenaline Whether you’re enjoying the hair-raising delights of the world’s only flying rollercoaster called Manta at SeaWorld or racing through the Everglades on an airboat in search of alligators, one thing’s for
-
Cambodia Luxury holidays Today Cambodia is symbolised by awesome Angkor Wat, the largest man-made religious structure in the world. However, Cambodia is also home to some of the finest boutique hotels in the world
-
Laos Inspire Me When the French colonised Indochina they had a saying: "The Vietnamese grow the rice, the Cambodians watch the rice grow, and the Lao people listen to the rice grow." This is
-
Vietnam Cultural breaks Vietnam is a country with a rich and varied history that is now firmly focused on her bright future. This is why it has become one of the hottest destinations for
