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Port Maquarie NewsAustralian News    28/04/2005 13:28:38

Lisa TisdellExposure at the World Expo in Japan last week laid the foundations for building on future export opportunities.

A delegation of Hastings Council and business representatives promoted the region to an international audience.

The Hastings was showcased last Tuesday, which became "Hastings Day" in the Australia Pavilion.

Trade Minister and Lyne MP Mark Vaile attended the expo as part of a broader trade visit to the region and businesses met with key contacts.

Aquasonic director Sue Carson was among the business representatives from the Hastings to visit Japan.

She runs a Wauchope business manufacturing products for aquaculture and aquariums, which is already involved in export but not to Japan.

Mrs Carson described the Japanese visit as preliminary, which laid the foundation for possible future business opportunities.

She hopes to break into the Japanese market with synthetic sea salt and water testing kits.

"I am hopeful but there needs to be possibly follow-up visits," Mrs Carson said.

Mayor Rob Drew said there had been a positive outcome from the visit.

"We still have some hard yards to go but the doors of opportunity have been opened," he said.

Cr Drew believes the North Coast Institute of TAFE will benefit the fastest from the visit, as English language schools are sought after.

Hastings Council general manager Bernard Smith added the majority of the businesses which attended the expo had already been doing business with Japan, while a couple of businesses hoped to break into the Japanese market.

"Council is keen to make sure the impetus continues and the businesses will do their own follow up," he said.

Mr Smith said the World Expo exposure portrayed the Hastings as a very diverse regional economy.