The Atlapa Convention Center –Panama’s largest fairground- swung its gates wide open during the first week of March to host one of the region’s most important tradeshows: Expocomer 2008, that this time around gathered exhibitors and buyers from over 35 countries. For 26 years in a row, businesspeople from the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean have huddled in this fair to cut major deals, based on the many advantages the Republic of Panama has to offer as a business platform and hub for regional distribution.

This country is going stronger as a world trade center thanks in part to the conveniences of its “multimodal hub” transportation system equipped with highly efficient ports, an intra-oceanic railroad, and international banking system and the Colon Free Zone. Expocomer 2008 underscored the fair’s nonstop growth and enhancement as a useful tool for commercial exchange among nations.

The event brought on many innovations designed to step up the possibilities of better business networking among exhibitors, buyers and attendants. This year’s program included lectures and conferences, including some that homed in on the Panama Canal Enhancement Project. Attendees had the privilege of hearing a master lecture by Dr. Philip Kotler, the international marketing guru, on the ways to get fresh ideas for making a difference in today’s competition-laden global world.

Another keynote lecturer was Manuel Fernandez, executive director of the Multimodal Hub, an interesting project that’s expected to reap major benefits for both producers and exporters in the region.