The World Trade Centers Association (WTCA), which has currently 300 members in nearly 100 countries, aims to have around 500 members in the next ten years. There are 300 plus current WTC licensees around the world. The Indian geography holds immense potential for the association with one of the largest membership clusters in the world (with around 40 members). The US leads with the largest number of WTC licenses.
“India is experiencing rapid economic growth, coupled with a surging demand for commercial infrastructure and global business connectivity. As a result, our network has grown phenomenally in the country during the past decade. Today, we have our second largest membership cluster here with 40 members representing most of India’s major cities and contributing to India’s sustainable development,” noted John E. Drew, chair, WTCA Board of Directors. He said Bengaluru is one of the world's most promising economic regions. Drew was talking on the sidelines of the upcoming WTCA Global Business Forum which will be held in Bengaluru from March 3 to 6.
The event is being hosted by the World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) and World Trade Centre Bengaluru and will focus on investment opportunities and positioning India as a global investment destination. He announced that over 80 WTC businesses from 30 countries/territories have already confirmed their participation, with more expected to follow suit. These include representations from Algeria, Armenia, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China Mainland, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, Guyana, Iraq, Ireland, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Palestine, Panama, the Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Syria, Taiwan, Tunisia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Vietnam, and Yemen.
The Forum will focus on investment opportunities across 12 diverse industry sectors, including Agriculture and Food Processing, Automotive, Aviation and Aerospace, Biotech, Education, Heavy Engineering, IT, ITeS & Electronics, Manufacturing, Real Estate & Construction, Tech Startups, Textile and Garments, and Travel and Tourism.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is expected to address the event. Romal Shetty, CEO of Deloitte South Asia, will deliver the keynote address and unveil the new Deloitte research report 'India as an Investment Destination'.
Founded in 1969, WTCA was born of the idea that doing business around the globe should be as easy as doing business down the street. It aims to connect its members and their local businesses to global trade and investment opportunities. The WTCA also stimulates trade and investment opportunities for commercial property developers, economic development agencies, and international businesses looking to connect globally and prosper locally.
World Trade Center (WTC) Bengaluru is a licensed member of the World Trade Centres Association (WTCA), New York. It is the second WTC to be set up in India and is promoted by the Bengaluru-headquartered Brigade Group. This group holds WTC licenses for six south Indian cities—Bengaluru, Chennai, and Kochi are currently operational, while Hyderabad, Devanahalli, and Thiruvananthapuram are in the pipeline. WTC Bengaluru is a 1.1 million sqft building with its administrative office spread over 20,000 sqft. A majority of the WTC Bengaluru space is occupied by Amazon. The WTC Bengaluru caters to the specific needs of its clients and partner organisations. It offers international market research, business matchmaking, and connections to public and private resources. It also plans strategic trade missions, trade educational programs, and networking events.