'File 10/8 Overseas trade enquiries' [‎96v] (193/495)

4. The number of overseas buyers showed an increase of over 20 per cent, as
compared with the previous year. Seventy countries were represented, made up
as follows :—
A comparison of the numbers from the different countries shows that Hol
land, as usual, headed the list, with Canada and the United States second and
third respectively; Australia was fourth, Germany fifth, and the countries then
ran in the following order :—France, India, Belgium, S. Africa, New Zealand,
Switzerland, Argentine, Denmark, Sweden, Italy, Japan, Austria, Spain,
Norway, Poland, China, Czecho-Slovakia, Ceylon.
III.— New 'buildings for the London Fair.
5. The London section of the Fair, which is organised by the Department
of Overseas Trade, will again be held at Olympia, which is being further
enlarged by the addition of two more floors to the new Empire Building.
As pointed out in a previous circular, the chief advantages of the new
home of the London section are that the buildings are extremely suitable and
convenient; they are compact in arrangement so as to bring all sections into close
touch with one another; and three main entrances give easy access to every sec
tion. These are improvements which make the work of thie trade buyers easier
than in the past. Moreover, the buildings are suitable for use at any time of
the year. The heating and ventilation leave nothing to be desired, and the
existence of a permanent catering organisation, working with all the equipment
and facilities of a first-class restaurant, will obviate the necessity for improvis
ing kitchens and restaurants for a fortnight each year, a task impossible of
satisfactory accomplishment.
IV.— Advertising appropriation.
6. His Majesty's Government have again granted the sum of £25,000 for
expenditure on publicity. A statement is attached showing the allocation of
this amount as decided by the Department after consultation with the Joint
General Purposes and Publicity Committee.
7. As the overseas officers concerned will be aware from despatches which
have been addressed to them, it has been decided that they should be allowed to
expend at their own discretion the sums allocated for publicity in their respec
tive countries, provided they are willing to undertake this responsibility, and
subject to the Department's approval of their schemes.
V.— Fress and General Publicity.
8. Messrs. Charles F. Higham Limited have again been appointed as the
Department's agents for the placing of press advertising in this country. They
will not deal with the placing of advertisements in the overseas press except in
cases where the overseas officers are not prepared to undertake the expenditure
of the sums allotted.
9. As in previous years, the Department will endeavour to arrange for
the issue of special articles descriptive of individual sections of the Fair, or
certain aspects of British industry, with special reference to the Fair. Such
articles will, as far as possible, be translated into the languages of the countries
in which the overseas officers reside.
IX). Arrangements will also be made to publish in the Board of Trade Jour
nal a series of articles on the Fair, giving the latest information available, and
Countries.
Dominions and Colonies
Europe
North, Central and South America ...
Near and Far East
Africa (excluding British territories)
18
26
13
8
5
70