Trade mission: Geraldton mayor Shane Van Styn seeks foreign investors

City of Greater Geraldton Mayor Shane Van Styn will travel to Singapore next week for a “rare opportunity” to promote the city and the Mid West to international investors.

During the ordinary council meeting last week, councillors voted 12-1 in favour of approving the trip to Singapore for the International Trade Council’s Mission.

Running from May 13-18, the trade mission will allow the mayor to meet with and make presentations to major investors.

According to briefing notes, the meetings are pre-arranged with investors who are looking for investment opportunities in the region.

City director of corporate and commercial services Bob Davis said although the trade mission could not guarantee immediate success, active promotion was more likely to lead to investment.

“This provides a rare opportunity for the City to put itself into the international investment domain,” he wrote in the briefing notes.

“This is the first opportunity for the City to shift from a reactive stance to investment inquiries from visiting delegations, to an active stance of promotion.

“It establishes the City in prospective investment portfolios, enables direct engagement, and is more likely to attract investments than a passive strategy.”

During the trade mission, Mr Van Styn, who is also the chairman of Progress Midwest, will present the key elements of the Growing Greater Geraldton Plan, the Investment Prospectus and the Tourism Destination Management Plan.

Briefing notes suggest several key opportunities that could be highlighted to investors, such as Lot 601 on Marine Terrace, tourism development on the Abrolhos Islands and a pilot academy.

This provides a rare opportunity for the City to put itself into the international investment domain.

Mr Van Styn will not have to pay the delegate registration fee of $US1125 ($1486.91).

The cost of flights and accommodation is expected to be less than $5000 and will be covered by the existing 2017-18 economic development budget allocations, according to briefing notes.

Cr Tarleah Thomas voted against the motion.