Businesses tap into networking potential
CONNECTING new businesses with the right people has been a major success of Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise’s Access NZ trade mission.
TSBE CEO Ali Davenport said the development group would closely track economic benefits of the 70-strong delegation which explored New Zealand’s business and industry culture in June.
Among them were 10 businesses new to Toowoomba which Ms Davenport said were able to network with existing operators and settle into the robust local economy for future opportunities.
“One of the biggest focusses of any economic development group, and TSBE included, is getting businesses to move here,” she said.
“Ten of our 70 delegates were brand new businesses to the region, so those businesses were able to make significant networks and were able to form great partnerships just with the Toowoomba region.
“What that means is those businesses, which are so vital to the growth of our region, are going to grow so they’re the ones that have had the real benefit early on.
“Often times new businesses find it really difficult to establish early in the peace because they just don’t have those relationships, and that’s what this trip has been instrumental for.”
While too soon to chart actual economic benefits, Ms Davenport said TSBE would work with each of the businesses in the coming three and six months to evaluate what each received from the tour.
That, she said, would determine any future international delegations.
“Ultimately, as long as the people who went got a financial benefit out of it, and that financial benefit is going to help the Toowoomba community, I think that’s the outcome we wanted and we’ve already seen that,” she said.
“If we can see there is a huge economic benefit to the region then absolutely, we’ll do the hard work.
“I think there will be another one.”