CANARY ISLANDS TOUTED AS BUSINESS AND TOURIST CENTER

FOR CENTURIES THE CANARY ISLANDS HAVE PROVIDED A PORT OF CALL FOR SHIPS TRAVELING TO AND FROM EUROPE, AFRICA AND THE AMERICAS.  COLUMBUS EVEN STOPPED ON THE ISLANDS, WHICH BELONG TO SPAIN AND ARE LOCATED SOME 60 MILES OFF THE COAST OF WEST AFRICA, BEFORE SHIPPING OUT FOR THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.

“CANARIANS HELPED DISCOVER AMERICA, NOW IT’S AMERICA’S TIME TO DISCOVER THE CANARIES,” LORENZO OLARTE CULLEN, VICE PRESIDENT IN  THE GOVERNMENT’S TOURISM AND TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, TOLD GLOBALFAX LAST WEEK. 

MR. OLARTE, WHO HOSTED MANY LOCAL GROUPS AND VISITORS ATTENDING THE OLYMPIC GAMES AT A PAVILION HIS GOVERNMENT SET UP DOWNTOWN TO SHOWCASE THE ISLANDS AND SPANISH FOODS, VIGOROUSLY PROMOTED THE CANARIES AS A TOURIST DESTINATION.

BUT IN ADDITION TO APPEALING TO AMERICAN TOURISTS WHO MAY BE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ISLANDS, HE SAID THAT HIS GOVERNMENT IS SEEKING U.S. COMPANIES TO CONSIDER ESTABLISHING INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS IN A SPECIAL TAX ZONE.

THE ZONE WAS CREATED IN 1994 WITH THE PURPOSE OF ATTRACTING TRADING AND INDUSTRIAL AND FINANCIAL SERVICE COMPANIES, AND THE CANARIES WILL BE ORGANIZING A TRADE MISSION SO COMPANIES BASED IN ATLANTA AND ELSEWHERE IN THE SOUTHEAST MAY VISIT THE ISLANDS THIS FALL.

U.S. COMPANIES WHICH INVESTIGATE THE ZONE WILL FIND MANY JAPANESE AND KOREAN COMPANIES WITH INTERESTS IN SOUTH AMERICA, AFRICA AND EUROPE ALREADY ESTABLISHED THERE.  AND ALTHOUGH THERE ARE OTHER SIMILAR SPECIAL ZONES IN THE EUROPEAN UNION SUCH AS THOSE IN SHANNON AND DUBLIN, IRELAND, AND MADEIRA, PORTUGAL, THE CANARIES HAVE THE SPECIAL ADVANTAGES OF GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION AND DEVELOPED PORTS BESIDES UNIQUE INVESTMENT AND TAX CODES, ACCORDING TO MR. OLARTE.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL DOLORES RODRIGUEZ MEJIAS AT (34-28) 49 05 05; FAX, (34-28) 27 32 74.