Helping small firms trade effectively with the Internet

Abstract

The case of Malta shows how a national trade promotion organization can help SMEs take advantage of the Internet to boost exports. In Malta, trade promotion necessarily starts with creating visibility for the country. Due to its small size, foreign investors and potential commercial partners do not see or hear enough about Malta to appreciate its potential as a supplier of goods and services. Few people know that Malta manufactures and exports a broad spectrum of products ranging from sophisticated industrial equipment and semi-conductors to general consumer goods such as giftware and furniture, to management and financial services. Few know that Malta's export-per-capita ratio exceeds that of some of the most developed economies. Trade support institutions have an important role in Malta, to firmly establish Malta on the world trade map. As the national trade promotion organization, the Malta External Trade Corporation (METCO) is the lead agency responsible for projecting Malta's image as a business partner.