According to recent media reports, around 30 foreign owned small and larger businesses are closing their doors and leaving Spain each week. Due to the current economic downturn, businesses everywhere are struggling to find new customers to survive let alone grow. In the long term, this could have a devastating effect not only on the choice of international product and service providers operating on the Costa del Sol, but also on future employment prospects, contributing to fewer job and career opportunities and higher unemployment.
For businesses during a recession, marketing and networking (usually the first casualties of budget cuts) are now recognised as the most important tools businesses have to enable them to survive. For those people unable to find jobs, many are now either seeking to start their own small businesses or considering re-training and education in an attempt to embark on an alternative career path.
Local company, Andalusian Events, owned by a trio of international businesswomen of English, German and Belgian nationality (and speaking Spanish, English, French, German and Dutch) whose collective experience of life on the Costa and expertise in business and event management, has a firm belief, alongside the Junta de Andalusia, that this area has the skills, workforce, enthusiasm and capability of becoming an international thriving business community and is therefore worthy of all our investment in it.
With this in mind, Andalusian Events decided to create a new concept in bringing together the business community on the Costa del Sol under one roof to promote their products and services, network, learn from top professionals and explore new business and career opportunities.
The result is the creation of the first ‘Business and Careers Show’ to be held at the Estepona Congress Palace on 29-31 January. This highly important regional event, sponsored by Caser Seguros and supported by the Junta will provide a ‘one-stop-shop’ showcase of companies offering:
- business to business products and services;
- new business opportunities such as distributorships and franchises;
- a range of professional training opportunities for those seeking an alternative career;
- jobs and careers advice for those seeking work;
- a wealth of educational and informative seminars designed to support existing businesses, help new businesses start-ups and advise those seeking employment.