Washington, DC – December 22 is the final day to submit applications for the 2016 International Buyer Program (IBP) organized by the U.S. Commerce Department. The program promotes select U.S. trade shows to overseas buyers to help boost show attendance and thus increase exports of U.S. products.
Overseas buyers receive assistance from U.S. embassy staff in obtaining visas and group bookings, registration assistance and reduced fees, and help in arranging meetings with key exhibitors. For show organizers, the program helps recruit qualified buyers and assists with logistics. Last year, the IBP recruited more than 11,500 buyers from 105 international markets.
Details on the application process are located on the IBP website, www.export.gov/ibp/. Applications must be submitted to the IBP office in Washington in hard copy form via a courier service, such as FedEx or UPS. There is no cost to apply, but a participation fee is required from shows that make the 2016 roster.
Two dozen trade shows were selected for the 2014 IBP. They included many familiar events, such as International CES, World of Concrete, Outdoor Retailer, and Power-Gen International.
Questions about the application process and the IBP program can be directed to Vidya Desai, the acting director of the IBP, or by email to ibp2016@trade.gov.
Reach Vidya Desai at (202) 482-2311 or vidya.desai@trade.gov
