INDIO, Calif. – In an effort to further diversify its economy, the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians has opened a United States Export Assistance Center at tribal headquarters.
“This is another amazing opportunity to bolster our tribal economy,” said Mark Benitez, the tribe’s second vice chairman. For example, tribal businesses such as First Nations Recovery, a tire crumbing facility, will have direct access to potential foreign buyers. Individual tribal members are able to find foreign markets for their art and craft works.
Cabazon is not the only tribe to potentially benefit from the Export Center.
The Coachella Valley is home to several other tribes which can use the center for their businesses.
The Export Center also promotes tourism. The Coachella Valley, with its warm winter climate and proximity to Los Angeles is a major destination for foreign, particularly European tourists.
Many of these tourists are interested in American Indian culture. Many area tribes have casino/resort facilities and some, such as such as the Agua Caliente in Palm Springs, also have a tribal system of parks for tourists interested in “eco-tourism.”
Tourism is promoted at yearly expositions, including one later this year in Germany, where kiosks and U.S. trade officials promote recreational opportunities in a given area, officials say. Many foreign travel agents visit these expositions and are able to have better and more accurate information on where to send interested folks in their respective countries.
The Export Center is one of 106 such offices in the United States and one of 160 worldwide in more than 70 countries.
The opening of the Export Center March 23, a partnership between the tribe and the U.S. Department of Commerce, was marked by a large ceremony attended by national, local and tribal political figures.
Rep. Mary Bono, R-Calif., who represents the area around Palm Springs, gave the keynote address during signing ceremonies that featured speeches by California Democratic Reps. Joe Baca and Maxine Waters.
Fred Latuperissa, a Commerce official, said the Export Center is a regional office that will be of benefit to small to medium size businesses in the entire region. Personnel also will work with state, city and county governments to promote domestic exports.
A Commerce official, to be named this month, will be stationed at Cabazon to assist interested businesses to access the full resources of the federal government to find a niche in overseas for export wares. Commerce will be responsible for setting up the office infrastructure and hopes to have the office fully operational within the next few months.
“Basically what we have is a network of these export assistance centers around the world that have detailed regional information on local business and political conditions,” Latuperissa said.
Oversees Export Centers usually are housed in U.S. embassies where meetings are arranged with potential domestic sellers and foreign buyers.
Latuperissa said ESRI in Redlands, which manufactures key chains, found overseas markets and expanded its business with the help of an Export Center.
Mike Stanley, Southern California vice chairman of area exports for Commerce, said he feels these Export Centers are of vital importance to the U.S. economy.
“We have a trade imbalance in this country. For a few decades imports have outweighed exports and these Export Centers are a step toward a more balanced trade.”