On April 6 – 11, Mexico will play host to one of the largest US government-led trade missions in recent history.  Over 100 U.S. companies have decided to look beyond the narco-violence headlines and fly to Mexico City where they will attend a conference, meet with top US government trade experts from 14 countries representing 20 markets as well as executives from the EXIM bank, and network with potential new business partners.   After Mexico City, companies can choose to continue on to other Mexican and Latin American cities for one-on-one meetings with local companies.

“Trade Winds Forum 2011 –The Americas” will tackle the business outlook for the Americas, regional trade risk management, legal and tax environments, and the ever important – how to get paid by your Latin American buyer, among other topics.  Companies can also participate in a mini-training session designed to help them clarify their corporate strategy and refine their sales pitch for the region.

Companies will also receive a mandatory security briefing.  So, while these companies have chosen to look beyond the negative press, the forum will not ignore the very real security issues plaguing Mexico.  But Mexico is not alone.  There are precious few cities in the world today where a company can go looking for potential business partners and export markets and not be concerned about security and safety challenges, whether they be man-made or nature-induced.  A glance at the global headlines of any leading newspaper is enough to make even the most travel-hardy businessperson think twice.

Companies look at ‘risk’ through a multi-layered lens.  Not only are there a host of business and financial risks to consider which are amplified when dealing with unfamiliar legal regimes, foreign governments and untested partners; but sometimes it’s important to ask whether it’s really safe to be there.

What’s important is perspective.  Mexico’s security situation was probably best summed up by Sam Logan, an author and expert on Mexico’s drug wars at the Transported Assets Protection Association’s conference earlier this month where he said, Mexico “is a sea of tranquility with pockets of violence.”  Companies travelling to Mexico for this forum legitimately asked whether it was safe to do business in Mexico.  And, when putting the headlines, the on-the-ground reality, and the upside business opportunities in perspective – the answer was a resounding “yes”.