Delegation trips – defined by us as politically supported business trips – represent a highly successful and essential format for Thuringia's foreign trade promotion, offering both indirect and direct benefits. Political support is usually provided by the Thuringian Minister-President and/or the Thuringian Minister of Economic Affairs.
In addition to the advantages of traditional business trips, Thuringian companies and institutions particularly benefit from the political support, which opens doors to meetings and discussions with high-ranking decision-makers. Within the delegation, the individual participants act as part of a strong group. This significantly increases their external visibility and raises their profile. Often, concrete contracts, cooperation agreements, or Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) are signed during these trips.
During the delegation trips, so-called "investor seminars" are also held, where potential investors from the target country are specifically addressed. Often, new projects arise from these seminars in the short term; however, in some cases, positive investment decisions only emerge after a longer period.
Furthermore, the Free State benefits in many other areas from the increased international recognition resulting from these trips: be it in promoting educational and research collaborations or in advertising Thuringia as a holiday destination.
Three delegation trips are already being planned and finalized this year: At the end of May, Minister-President Mario Voigt will lead a delegation to India. Especially in light of the currently negotiated historic free trade agreement between the EU and India, which will see tariff reductions on over 96 percent of goods, new business opportunities are opening up for Thuringian companies. Further information will be available soon on our website. Other planned delegation trips in November will take place to Poland and the Mercosur region, specifically to Argentina and Brazil.
