The mayors of the two largest cities in North Texas will be in Europe on a trade mission until Friday, officials announced Sunday.
Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price will spend six days on the other side of the Atlantic, in London, Paris and Brussels to promote business opportunities in North Texas.
"The Dallas-Fort Worth region is the ideal location to grow and develop international businesses," Rawlings said. "As a hub of innovation and diversity, we look to strengthen the already deep connections North Texas has with our global partners."
"These trips are vital when it comes to building our business markets and fostering professional relationships," Price said. "With a positive, pro-business climate, talented workforce, strong economy and a great location, the DFW region is a great place to do business or visit."
When combined, the United Kingdom and France are the largest foreign investors in Texas, according to a press release. They spent $6.7 billion in capital expenditures from 2011-2016.
British-owned companies operating in the metroplex include Barclays and BT Global Services, while French companies with offices in DFW include L'Oreal and Louis Vuitton.
Rawlings and Price brought a delegation with them that included other local officials and business leaders.
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"Business continues to grow in Texas, with more headquarters citing DFW Airport as one of the top reasons for relocating to the Dallas-Fort Worth region," said Sean Donohue, CEO of DFW Airport and a member of the delegation. "We're anticipating a record 73 million customers over the next 12 months, and we continue to work with our airline partners to provide more opportunities to enable commerce and connect people and cargo."
In London, the group will meet with the city's mayor, Charles Bowman and British Airways executives among others; in Paris it will meet with executives with Air France and Louis Vuitton; and in Brussels, its primary meetings will be with NATO.
Aside from business, tourism is on the delegation's agenda as well. According to the release, the United Kingdom is Dallas-Fort Worth's top source for overseas tourists.
