TALLINN'S BFIF FY09 REPORT

UNCLAS TALLINN 000187

SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EEB/CBA
EEB/CIP AND EUR/NB
HELSINKI FOR SCO MCCLEARY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD BEXP ABUD AFIN BTIO EINV EN
SUBJECT: TALLINN'S BFIF FY09 REPORT

REF: STATE 032063; STATE 71530


1. (U) Summary: Embassy Tallinn received USD 3,090
from the Business Facilitation Incentive Fund (BFIF)
to send our Economic/Commercial Assistant to the Pow
Wow trade fair and training in Miami on May 15-May 21.
Post used 3,036.34 USD for the project. End Summary.


2. (U) Post initiated in 2008 the establishing of a
Discover America (DA) Committee under the umbrella of
the American Chamber of Commerce (Amcham) in Estonia.
DA is a volunteer organization, recognized by the U.S.
Travel Industry Association (TIA) of local travel-
related businesses interested in promoting the U.S.
market. One of its the first steps was to take some of
the DA Estonia member companies to the TIA annual
trade fair (Pow Wow) in Miami this year to facilitate
contacts within the industry and to get contacts in
TIA for official recognition of the Estonian DA
Committee.


3. (U) Tallinn's Economic/Commercial Assistant
accompanied two DA Estonia Committee members to Miami
and facilitated meetings with TIA, other European DA
Committees, and industry representatives. Post's
Economic/Commercial Assistant also had one day of
training with the FCS Tourism and Travel Team. After
Pow Wow, the Assistant gave presentations, together
with two other DA members, to the rest of DA Estonia
about the U.S. travel market, new visa waiver laws and
regulations. As a result, the DA Committee in Estonia
decided it will organize a seminar for local travel
agents on target destinations in the United States.
The date for this event is October 23rd and there is
an agreement from the regional representative in
Europe to come and educate local travel agents on
several top U.S. destinations. The
Economic/Commercial Assistant has also contacted FCS
St. Petersburg, Russia and Amchams in Latvia and
Lithuania for possible cooperation. The DA Estonia
Committee is in the process of submitting all
necessary documentation to get official recognition
from TIA.


4. (SBU) Breakdown of expenses:

USD 1,153.41 trade fair fee including lodging during
the trade fair and some meals
USD 71.00 lodging extra night for FSN training
USD 362.50 M&IE
USD 1,449.43 airfare and insurance

Total USD 3,036.34


5. (U) Back-up documentation on expenditures will be
faxed to Gale Gray, EEB/EX.


6. (U) Point of Contact at Post: Economic Officer
Robert Hollister, ph: +372-668-8107,
hollisterrm@state.gov. Post appreciates the support
of EEB/CBA and EEB/EX for these projects.
DECKER