By its very nature, international marketing requires a constant search for new and better ways to attract a greater share of global passenger and cargo traffic to Boston as a gateway. Massport's international marketing agenda, focused on trade development, route development and destination marketing, is a cohesive approach to a highly competitive business. Working with its network of international offices and representatives in China, Germany, Israel, Brazil, Mexico, Singapore, the U.K. and Poland, Massport's specialists scout for new markets, even as they seek to expand opportunities in mature areas. New resources include a trade office in Derry, Northern Ireland, and a cooperative agreement with a leading trade organization in Korea. Working closely with over 150 New England companies, trade development has helped more than 40 of them to establish new distributor agreements or acquire significant sales in overseas markets. For instance, a local manufacturer of grommet edging landed contracts with two giant European companies, after joining a Massport delegation to a major tradeshow on the continent. Massport also helped a manufacturer of general aviation equipment from western Massachusetts to achieve success in both Brazil and China, a manufacturer of medical products to connect with a client in Israel, and a toy maker in Western Massachusetts to identify new distributors in Germany, France and the Netherlands, as well as a new source of product components in Poland. A new program, Export Accelerator, in a departure from more traditional trade missions, provides one-on-one, customized trade assistance to individual New England companies. The program gives a realistic assessment and analysis of the best export opportunities abroad. It identifies, screens and introduces the company to a range of qualified trading partners in attractive new market areas. In conjunction with the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau, destination marketing launched a major consumer marketing campaign in the U.K. and also joined with the New England Foundation for the Arts to promote the region's large number of cultural attractions in overseas markets. The opening of the Museum of Fine Arts in Nagoya was the tie-in for a three- city cultural tourism promotion of Boston. Plus, 19 New England private sector companies joined Massport at ITB in Berlin to promote the region as a destination and Logan as its gateway. United Airlines began its first transatlantic operation from Boston with a non-stop flight to London Heathrow airport, bringing the number of daily round trips between Boston and London to eight. TAPAir Portugal also began a weekly non-stop service between Boston and Lisbon. In addition, route development developed a creative program to support Icelandair. Staff identified a commodity — fresh produce — to fill Icelandair's previously empty outgoing cargo hold. A group of fresh produce buyers from Iceland came to Boston to meet with New England growers, traders, freight forwarders and brokers of fresh produce. So much business was generated as a result of the mission that it resulted in the first all-freighter service to Logan since 1996. Plans are in the works for similar programs with other airlines.