International business opportunities
The London 2012 Games provide a unique opportunity to showcase the best of British business throughout the world and to build a legacy of globally competitive and innovative organisations.
Previous Olympic host cities including Barcelona, Sydney and Beijing have successfully used the Games to grow their business base and exploit international opportunities. London is no exception and efforts are already underway to ensure that the capital maximises the inward investment and international trade opportunities created by the Games.
Part of the legacy of the 2012 Games will be the increase in London’s global profile and the strengthening of international trade links. London’s status as an Olympic host city will open doors to business opportunities across the globe, not least in the major events industry – a sector estimated to be worth over £300 billion a year. The skills and experience gained in staging the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, combined with capital’s proven track record in delivering high quality international events, such as the Wimbledon Tennis Championship and the Notting Hill Carnival, mean that there has never been a better time for London businesses to look beyond the UK shores and explore international markets.
From London 2012 to the World
UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) is a Government funded agency that can help businesses succeed in international markets. In addition to providing cross sector international trade support, the service leads on two 2012 inspired initiatives aimed at helping UK firms maximise the global opportunities created by the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Host2Host
The Host2Host programme brings together Olympic host nations with the aim of facilitating bilateral international trade and investment. Olympic host nations share a unique relationship and it makes good business sense to extend cooperation and knowledge beyond sport into the economic development arena. Host2Host will allow British companies to meet key individuals and target business opportunities in other host cities through trade missions and event specific seminars. Memoranda of Understanding are currently in place with the following Olympic host cities:
- Sochi – hosts of the 2014 Winter Games
- Rio de Janeiro - hosts of the 2016 Summer Games
The Sports & Leisure Infrastructure Project Team
The UKTI Sports & Leisure Infrastructure Project Team help UK businesses access opportunities generated by global sporting events. The team provides a dual function. For sports officials, bid teams and municipal bodies about to embark on major sports projects, it maintains an online database of UK companies that have experience and expertise in the required fields. For businesses looking to supply such major projects the team can provide guidance on the goods, works or services that may be required and identify upcoming opportunities. Major sporting events coming up in the next four years include:
2012 Innsbruck Winter Youth Olympic Games
2012 Euro Football Championships in Poland & Ukraine
2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games
2014 Sochi Winter Olympic & Paralympic Games
2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic & Paralympic Games
International Trade Business Support
Whether your interest is in supplying Rio 2016, exporting products to Southern Hemisphere or sourcing clients in the Baltic’s, UKTI provide a suite of support packages to help you succeed in the global market place. Advice and assistance is available in areas such as overseas regulations, international business culture and in-country market intelligence. UKTI also run subsidised international trade missions to help businesses visit their target market and meet the right contacts quickly.
For further information, visit the UKTI website.
