Situated on a hammer-head peninsula jutting out from Canada into the North Atlantic, Nova Scotia’s raison d'être for the last three hundred years has been fishing.  Nowhere in the province is more than 42 miles from the ocean, so fishing still plays a big part in the region’s economy which is centred on the city of Halifax. 

However, Nova Scotia is fast emerging as one of North America’s most dynamic economies.  It is a hotbed of activity in what is erroneously perceived as the frozen north.

Starring Humphrey Bogart and directed by John Huston, Treasure of the Sierra Madre is the tale of three gringos who set out to strike it rich in Mexico’s remote Sierra Madre mountains.  Set in the 1920s, the story has many parallels with a current renewed interest in the Durango region.

Except, of course, that the bandit-riddled post-revolution landscape of eighty years ago bears little resemblance to the investor-friendly environment we see today.  The annual FDI inflow in the State of Durango now amounts to $500 million USD – putting it amongst the top 10 investment locations in Mexico.  The regional government is very pro-business and the state offers incentives to industries wishing to invest in Durango.

The spotlight will shine on Canada

Canada will be in the spotlight as the country welcomes the world for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. A country known for its strong and diverse economy, rich resources, sound banking system, and access to over 443 million consumers in the North American market – the 2010 Olympic Winter Games will attract investors and enhance awareness for the benefits of doing business from within Canada’s borders.

While athletes and spectators gather on Canada’s West coast in Vancouver, it will be business as usual on the opposite side of the country, in Nova Scotia. Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, Nova Scotia is making waves as the economic hub of Canada’s East coast.

A metropolis teeming with 8 million citizens, New York City is the largest city in the United States – it’s also the world’s ninth largest economy. Spread across 309 square miles of skyscrapers, canyon-like streets, and surprisingly low-rise outer districts, the Big Apple occupies an area roughly half that of London - with an extra million people to spare.  Consequently, the city has something of a pressure-cooker reputation.

Bulgaria is one of the oldest European countries, with a history of twenty centuries and long-lasting traditions. Modern Bulgaria is perceived as a stable and rapidly advancing Eastern European country. It is strategically located at the crossroads of four European transport corridors, connecting Western and Northern Europe with the Eastern and Southern part of the continent. Bulgaria is also famous for its picturesque nature and rich cultural heritage.