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Tuesday, Jul. 14, 1998
Officials: Texas needs higher profile abroad
State losing race to attract international investors
By ANNA M. TINSLEY
Scripps Howard Austin BureauAUSTIN -- Texas needs to capitalize on its booming export business, now bringing in $84 billion a year, economic development officials told state lawmakers Monday.
One way to do that is set up offices in other countries -- from Germany to Japan -- to raise the profile of Texas as a place to invest, conduct business and buy goods and services.
Texas, with one office in Mexico City, is among 38 states with representation in foreign countries.
``We cannot become complacent about our economic success and expect it to continue indefinitely,'' said Mark Langdale, chairman of the board that governs the Texas Department of Economic Development. ``We should ask `Where should Texas be in 10 years and how do we get there?'
``Texas has positioned itself to capitalize on opportunities,'' Langdale told the House International Relations Subcommittee, chaired by state Rep. Gene Seaman, R-Corpus Christi. ``We must be proactive, not reactive.''
Texas, the second largest exporting state after California, saw exports increase $34 billion from 1992 to 1997, state records show.
Langdale and other economic development officials said those numbers can be higher if Texas builds international relationships and boosts the stature of the state in the world economy.
Other states have gotten a head start: Georgia has 11 foreign offices; California, 10; Ohio, eight; North Carolina, six; Colorado, three; and Virginia, two.
Officials say that having only one office puts Texas at a disadvantage.
``We are in competition with other states for worldwide trade,'' Seaman said. ``If Texas doesn't have representation, other states will be beating us out because they are marketing their states and we are not.
``Our major companies are already doing this. But the state of Texas needs to be in the forefront to coordinate this,'' he said. ``I can't stress how important this is.''
Seven Texas communities also maintain their own offices abroad, said John Breier, director of the economic development department's business development division.
For example, the Greater Corpus Christi Business Alliance and the Port of Corpus Christi joined with the Laredo Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitor's Bureau to set up an office in Monterrey, Mexico. The office opened in August 1990.
``The goal of the office is to get more people to Corpus Christi -- either business locating or people traveling for pleasure,'' said Arlene Rivera, who is in charge of the Monterrey bureau. ``Access is easier having the office there.
``And if someone from Corpus Christi wants to do business in Mexico, we can help with that too.''
Last month, the Monterrey office received 28 visitors and 90 phone calls, Rivera said.
State lawmakers are considering crafting legislation to establish Texas offices in other countries. The economic development department soon will submit a list of recommendations.Post your comments about local news eventsFront Page || Main Index || News || Business || Texas || South Texas Outdoors || Birdwatching || Sports || Entertainment || Selena || Education || South Texas Attractions || World Wide Web