FDI

Renowned for 24-hour party people and iconic sunsets, the Balearic Islands are the top tourist destination in the western Mediterranean and a thriving business hub. This island of Ibiza is peppered with multi-million dollar mansions and villas owned by royalty and celebrities, and it is the centre of the world’s clubbing scene for four months of the year. More than just an idyllic holiday spot where the party is very much on, however, the Balearic Islands are also an ideal location to access both European markets and the rest of the world’s growing markets.

Think sunshine, think vibrancy, think blue seas, think business opportunities, think Montserrat. Montserrat, a beautiful island in the Caribbean Sea, south east of Puerto Rico and this month’s cover story, deserves to be mentioned again. Seventeen years ago the island of Montserrat was ‘the Emerald Isle of the Caribbean’, an upmarket getaway for anyone lucky enough to have the cash to splash. After the devastation of Hurricane Hugo, and the subsequent Soufrière Hills volcanic eruption in 1995, the island has begun to restore and rebuild. Several fierce eruptions demolished Montserrat’s only town and harbour, Plymouth, the airport, and the majority of the industry and agricultural areas. Two-thirds of the 12,000 population left the island, but now there is optimism in the air.

The Republic of Suriname has only recently begun exploring its vast wealth of natural resources. Although Suriname was long known, especially during and after the second world war, for its role in providing alumina to the world, there is more to Suriname than bauxite.

Despite the world economic crisis Suriname’s economy has been growing continuously for more than a decade and thus is a testimony for its attractiveness and focus of the Government of Suriname to develop both resource and non-resource based sectors.

Nestled along the dramatic cliff-tops of Montserrat lie the homes of Montserratians and the villas of distinguished international families. Since the 1970s, Montserrat has been the destination of choice for those seeking the true "get away from it all".

In 1979 Sir George Martin, the former Beatles producer, established the AIR Studios and Montserrat became the preferred location for recordings by Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John, Sting and others. These international stars were followed by distinguished families seeking friendly people in a safe and unspoilt environment. The island continued to attract new residents, some building beautiful villas either side of a splendid golf-course. But Montserrat remained tranquil and at its peak it had a population of just 13,500.

Once a Dutch colony, the Republic of Suriname is situated on the northeast coast of South America. It has had complete independence from the Netherlands since 1975 after rioting over unemployment and inflation caused the Netherlands to cease power. The current political climate, which actively supports and promotes Foreign Direct Investment, has helped contribute to Suriname’s growing economy and has put Suriname on the map as a favourable location for business expansion and investment. So where is this promising country?

On the lookout for a new location? Think Sweden. Sweden’s economy improved much earlier from the global recession in comparison to other European countries, so a move to the Nordic region should be top of your business agenda. In 2010, the World Economic Forum identified Sweden as the second most competitive market and economy, out of 133 examined, and the Central Bank estimates there will be a 2.3% increase in GDP for 2012. Read on to find out the reasons why an investment in Sweden would be a smart business move.

Why Albania? This is a question that we at AIDA – the Albanian Investment Development Agency – often get asked by foreign investors. Rather than find enough reasons the challenge in giving an answer is how to be succinct and to the point.

So, why invest in Albania: Well, because of its dynamism, its fast growing, emerging economy that has proven to be the most resilient in the region during the recent financial and economic crisis; because of its lean, business-friendly government with a flat tax rate of 10 percent, and streamlined business procedures that enable you to register a company or get all the permits needed in one day at the cost of one Euro; because of its openness towards foreigners and foreign investment; because of it young, educated, cost-competitive work force; because of the entrepreneurial spirit of its people; because of its strategic position at the gates of more than 65 million consumers of southeastern Europe; and last, but not least, because of the sun, the Mediterranean climate, and the well-attested quality of life.

In a rapidly changing world, with new global challenges and opportunities, geospatial data and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) will help companies and organisations to navigate to a better future. GIS is becoming an increasingly important everyday tool for companies to understand their processes, reduce environmental impacts and increase business performance. Gävle and the Gävleborg region, in Sweden, has developed into the GIS capital of Europe over the past 15 years, with a world-leading GIS industry and research competence.