community . Some of the benefits for these organisations who take up a licence include achieving higher rents (+ 5-30 %) versus comparable non- ‘ WTC ’ branded buildings ); higher occupancy rates ( 6-13 %); ability to attract high-profile and premium tenants ; regional economic impact of a WTC property draws government and community support to the project , and , importantly for the MICE community , revenues from hosting on-site international trade events and programmes .

Impact and achievements As an extremely diverse organisation - geographically , culturally , and professionally - WTCA members are a reflection of their communities , and the needs of their local trade and investment ecosystems . Let us look at some examples .

In Ghana , WTC Accra has brought Ghanaian small- and medium-sized enterprises ( SMEs ) on 22 trade missions . These have helped Ghanaian businesses procure supplies , raise capital , expand to new markets , identify partners , and obviate the daunting prospect of going through the process alone .

According to the World Bank , doing business in Ghana is now easier than in any other West African country . Often governments will offer assistance to larger companies , but there can be critical gaps for SMEs looking abroad and that is where a WTC steps in .

“ For SMEs like mine , it ’ s very difficult to expand beyond the borders of Ghana . WTC Accra creates a lot more opportunities ,” says Jerry Afful , whose businesses include advertising , entertainment events , and real estate .

Afful traveled with WTC Accra on trade missions to Turkey and the US , succeeding on both trips to source materials needed . Prior to his first trade mission with the WTC , he travelled to China independently , which was a comparatively cumbersome and costly process .

The WTC brand has also been key to opening doors to new relationships . “ They have a bigger voice that ’ s internationally-recognised , and they are able to connect people ,” says Huudu Mesuna Deliman , CEO of Ghana ’ s Deliman Group , which operates in the oil , transport , and construction sectors . For Deliman , participation in trade missions has resulted in an almost 50 % growth in his business .

In Paraguay , a WTC was opened in 2015 . “ We saw the need and the market for the kind of opportunities and benefits a WTC would bring ,” said Oliva Ibañez , brand manager for WTC Asunción . The city ’ s corporate office spaces were decentralised and in need of an upgrade . The WTC development - which is comprised of four buildings ; including two restaurants , and more than 200 offices hosting 2,184 professionals - represented the single largest private investment in the country , totalling US $ 77m .

WTC Asunción has become the anchor around which a new business district has developed . In just three years it has grown to feature more than 20 high rises , 12 hotels , corporate space for 5,000 offices , and nine conference centres .

In Gibraltar , the setting up of a WTC in 2017 helped address a shortage of

office space . It is now a a pivotal part of the territory ’ s investment strategy and the WTC was 97.5 % occupied at its grand opening .

“ Some of our biggest customers are located in the same building as us . And it means that we don ’ t have to travel far . If someone calls with a problem , we can take the lift and be on their floor within five minutes ,” says James Elliot , MD of tenant company NetEnt ’. “ Just using the name World Trade Center on your business card opens many doors ,” he adds . And in its first year alone , WTC Gibraltar is calculated to have made an annual contribution of US $ 80m to the territory ’ s economy .

Istanbul , KL , Winnipeg and more … In Turkey , Okay Başbuğ , foreign affairs deputy manager , WTC Istanbul , explains WTC Istanbul was founded in 1982 . “ At the WTC ’ s core structure , we are a company founded by public institutions of Turkey including the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce , Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality , and the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey . We mainly operate in the real estate business ,” he says .

“ In our 500,000sqm complex , we rent 11 exhibitions halls , consisting of 100,000sqm , and operate a business centre consisting of three towers and a

BRAND HISTORY

1969 THE WTCA IS ESTABLISHED

The World

Trade Centers

Association is

officially registered

as a non-profit

organisation in

Delaware

1970 TOKYO MEETING

The first 15

Members of

the World Trade

Centers

Association meet

in Tokyo .

1973 TWIN TOWERS OPEN

The World Trade

Centers Association

moves to the 77th

floor of the New

York-based Twin

Towers .

1974 THE WTCA LEADS THE WAY

The WTCA

encourages the

expansion of global

trade ; promotes

international

business relations ;

fosters mutual

assistance and cooperation

amongs

members .