CATO booth shines with Latin-flavored products

2009-04-29

Giftionery Taipei has expanded and evolved through the years to become not only a showcase of stationery and gifts but a premier platform for the cultural and creative industries.

Offering a smorgasbord of ethnic items imbued with Latin flavor, the Central America Trade Office (CATO) booth features authentic handicrafts from Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Belize.

"Cultural and creative industries are not only booming but also fit very well in our plans to get on track in the international market," said Simon Hsing, CATO director.

Leather paintings and jade objects from Nicaragua, as well as carved art pieces made from Panamanian natural materials such as "tagua nuts," which are seeds found in the tagua palm that resemble ivory, are among the many unique items on display at the booth.

Noting Central America's rich and diverse cultures such as the Incas and the Mayas, the director pointed out the great potential for exchange and cooperation between both sides.

"Every Central American traditional handicraft has a story. All the stories have a fascinating background behind them," he said.

"With our expertise in production, technology and design, and their rich cultural heritage, we can jointly develop very interesting new product lines in mutually-beneficial collaborations," stressed Hsing.

"There is truly a lot of potential to be explored in such businesses as handicrafts, artwork, and decoration," he continued. "Taiwanese companies can partner with Central American companies to help them upgrade the quality of their traditional handicrafts and infuse innovation, modernity and creativity into them."

To this end, Hsing noted that CATO plans to promote exchanges by holding exhibitions of traditional Central American handicrafts, bringing delegations from the region, as well as recruiting Taiwanese investors to set up operations there.

The director said he expects Central American cultures' profile to be increased in Taiwan in the next few months with scheduled visits by President Ma to diplomatic allies in the region.