Aberdeen company Munro’s Travel is urging Scottish firms to move fast if they want to secure their place at the world’s biggest oil and gas show.
The annual Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, Texas, is just weeks away and Munro’s anticipates a late rush of interest in the “limited” packages available from companies determined not to miss out.
Bookings to date have surpassed expectations which is a remarkable response in what are challenging times for the industry globally.
For many north and north-east firms, bosses believe it is more important than ever to be over in Houston trying to secure new business through an international networking opportunity which is second to none.
Ian Massie, Munro’s head of group travel, said the travel firm was “delighted” by the take-up of its OTC packages.
The show takes place at Houston’s NRG Park from May 2-5.
Last year, early feedback from 12 of the 58 firms supported by Scottish Enterprise (SE) to attend OTC showed they expected to increase their global exports by £50million over the next three years as a direct result.
Contracts were signed during the week for projects in the Gulf of Mexico and Brazil, while some of the firms received invitations to tender for other work around the world.
SE supported 24 companies to exhibit in the Scotland pavilion at OTC, which was attended by around 100,000 visitors, and helped a further 34 companies to take part in the event.
Houston is home to more than 20 of SE’s GlobalScots and during OTC 2015 they participated in more than 80 one-to-one meetings with companies, offering them invaluable advice and contacts.
The US is the largest overseas market for Scotland’s oil and gas sector – international sales there were in 2014 were worth nearly £2billion.
Munro’s and the Press and Journal are organising their regular visit to OTC for delegates through a tie-up which dates back to 1973.
Participants this year will see the results of a multimillion-pound refurbishment of the Hilton Houston Post Oak hotel, which Mr Massie said was “looking spectacular”.