Subtitles section Play video Print subtitles [ Music ] >> Welcome to the Emirate of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Here we are today at the Arab Health Show, the second largest of its kind in the entire world. And down there are thousands of physicians and nurses, and buyers of medical equipment. If you get sick, this would be a great place to do it today. Now there are also 200 U.S. companies in the U.S. Pavilion. They're here because it's a great place to sell their goods and services, and we're going to give you some reasons why. [ Music ] GDP here is in excess of 4% a year, double that of the U.S., and almost triple that of Europe. It's a very wealthy region. Health care is a major concern, next to energy, I believe, is the largest expenditure in the Middle East. Takes someone to visit this show to understand the dynamic of it. Once they're here, they realize it's a real business. [ Music ] >> Right now our company enjoys about 85% of our total revenues from exports. Of our total revenues for the company, more than 25% come from the Middle Eastern markets. Less than 1%, 0 bad debt write-off pertaining to business that we do in the Middle East. [ Music ] >> So far it's big. [Laughing] I mean the show is flat out big. Everything you can imagine is here. I don't know if I've seen this many people other than like a New York City subway, but it's a lot, a lot of people, and from every country in the world, doing every product possible affiliated with health care. [ Music ] >> I have come to this show because I need to get some companies to distribute their product, and I want reliable companies. >> Why U.S. products and not Turkish, or Chinese, or Japanese, or all of the others at these things? >> The products we know already are reliable, and they can last long. Most U.S. companies maintain good quality, and because you do not want product that won't work. [ Music ] >> Why do you think U.S. companies are so timid when it comes to traveling overseas for business, particularly in this area. >> Oh, because they think the news you see, like CNN and all, is always focused on the bad and bloody things. Just like people here think that it's very dangerous in America because all they see is the horrors like the school shooting. They think it's very dangerous in America, so it's a misconception because they don't ever show children and grandmothers walking around. They show the bloody scenes. >> Here is another buyer looking for U.S. suppliers. >> My name is Yahya Alami [phonetic]. I work for Saudi Company called Jamjoom Medical Industries Company, Ltd., one of the largest companies Saudi Arabia Medical Disposals [phonetic]. >> Will Mr. Alami make a big purchase? Let's check back with him later. Next, reason to attend an international trade show #2 help meeting buyers with money. [ Silence ] [ Music ] >> My name is Jusif Almehedi. I'm a Commercial Specialist from the Commercial Service office in the Embassy of the U.S. in Kuwait, and we're here in Arab Health 2013, heading a delegation of 10 companies, 10 Kuwait local companies. It has been an exciting couple days so far. There's a plenty opportunities for [inaudible] success stories. >> Big market in Kuwait for health care and other things. >> Well it is. A couple years back, the government proofed Kuwait initiated the so called national development plan, $104 billion plan to upgrade several infrastructures, including the health care. About $3 billion will be spent in the coming few years to upgrade the health care sector, including building several general hospitals, so we're really looking forward to introduce Kuwait to the participating companies here, and looking forward to really strike some good deals and success stories. [ Music ] >> I'm helping U.S. company's match make with Egyptian companies. We have a delegation of 29 Egyptian companies present in the Arab Health, and we're doing show time meetings with U.S. companies. There is a lot of demand for the U.S. companies to enter into the Egyptian market, as we do not have high tech, low cost production of American devices in Egypt. We depend mainly on important devices, and U.S. products are famous for their good quality, and they have a high reputation in the Egyptian market. >> You think there'll be some deals before the end of the week? >> Of course. Of course, there will be a lot of deals. [ Music ] >> My advice is come to trade shows like this to really start learning about the market, learning about the customers, meeting potential partners who can help you. So this is where half of our meetings are with potential distributors and partners, so it can really help, especially small companies, go from nothing to actually being effective and selling in this part of the world. You have to really find partners who can help you market sell to this part of the world, because you don't have the resources to do it yourself. So our strategy, we have 100 distributors around the world who are our marketing partners. [ Music ] >> It's very important to meet the distributors who we have in the region, and to find new distributors. I was told once several years ago by a person out of Saudi Arabia that they don't like doing business with companies unless they get to see them first hand, and get to see face-to-face. Without having a face-to-face contact with our distributors and future distributors, we can't do business here. So it's incredibly important to be here and see them. >> International trade shows like Arab Health are a great way to meet crowds of qualified buyers under one roof. But sitting in a booth watching the world go by may not generate many sales. Behind the scenes, the most successful U.S. companies are getting help. [ Music ] >> You met Jusif and Rania [phonetic], who bring buyer delegations from their countries. But there's even more help available. >> It is, and it's not just the commercial officers like myself who work in Abu Dubai, or Dubai, or elsewhere. In this market, the United Arab Emirates, but in many places, business is often the highest priority of the entire diplomatic mission. Here, my ambassador will publicly say probably once today that his highest priority is business, and he means it. Everybody in the Embassy who can pitch in, does pitch in to help U.S. businesses operating overseas. [ Music ] >> U.S. Ambassador, Michael Corbin, still has high expectations for this year's exhibition building on last year's success. >> As you know, this health care products and health care services sell themselves to a certain extent because the United States has some of the best health care products in the world. >> U.S. Commercial Services made this possible. It started with a Webinar that we were on a few months ago, and we've known about the show, but that was the final kick to come. Didn't quite know what to expect. A lot of times things of this nature have a lot of smoke and mirrors, and they buff things up to make them look a lot better than they really are. These people are really doing what they say they're going to do. To be able to sit down and meet with Embassy delegates and learn about the region, and get their honest feedback. And it's not all good. But to be able to wade through months, probably years of learning and testing the water, and already have someone who's already done it. Already have the background checks on the agents