Ten Henrico County officials will travel to South Korea in May to learn from the growing metropolis of Yangju, and to promote Henrico to Korean businesses
As part of the trip, Fred Agostino, head of the Henrico County Economic Development Authority, might also visit Tokyo, Beijing, and Shanghai (Henrico has an economic development office there), the T-D reports.
The county’s Economic Development Authorit has said Traveling abroad is a regular occurrence for economic developers, Agostino said, adding that most years his office doesn’t spend the entire travel budget.
“It’s a rather standard development program. We speak to a group in a room somewhere, usually a hotel, show them an AV presentation that lasts and hour and talk about doing business in America.”
“We tell them why they should come to Henrico County, Virginia to do business.”
Agostino said that between all the economic development entities in the region, there are usually at least five such trips per year.
“Last week regional people and Hanover people were in London doing exactly this,” he said.
The Times-Dispatch reported that Agostino’s will be accompanied by his wife in Korea. She will be paying her own way, the paper reported.
BizSense’s take: Henrico’s delegation to Korea includes the county’s director of public works and the director of parks and recreation. Do they really need to fly half-way across the world for a few pointers? Couldn’t they learn the same lessons by visiting Portland, or Denver? Or read about them in a trade publication?
Ten Henrico County officials will travel to South Korea in May to learn from the growing metropolis of Yangju, and to promote Henrico to Korean businesses
As part of the trip, Fred Agostino, head of the Henrico County Economic Development Authority, might also visit Tokyo, Beijing, and Shanghai (Henrico has an economic development office there), the T-D reports.
The county’s Economic Development Authorit has said Traveling abroad is a regular occurrence for economic developers, Agostino said, adding that most years his office doesn’t spend the entire travel budget.
“It’s a rather standard development program. We speak to a group in a room somewhere, usually a hotel, show them an AV presentation that lasts and hour and talk about doing business in America.”
“We tell them why they should come to Henrico County, Virginia to do business.”
Agostino said that between all the economic development entities in the region, there are usually at least five such trips per year.
“Last week regional people and Hanover people were in London doing exactly this,” he said.
The Times-Dispatch reported that Agostino’s will be accompanied by his wife in Korea. She will be paying her own way, the paper reported.
BizSense’s take: Henrico’s delegation to Korea includes the county’s director of public works and the director of parks and recreation. Do they really need to fly half-way across the world for a few pointers? Couldn’t they learn the same lessons by visiting Portland, or Denver? Or read about them in a trade publication?