Virginia Beach’s beautiful pier at sunset. For forward-thinking foreign companies, Virginia Beach offers a dynamic location in which to do business

Virginia Beach, Virginia is not unknown to international travellers. The city has miles of highly desirable beaches on the Atlantic Ocean, attracts millions of visitors from around the world every year and is strategically located at the heart of the US East Coast, just 3.5 hours from Washington, DC.

But now, savvy business leaders from across the globe are also recognising Virginia Beach for something other than surf, sand and great food. They know there is an amazing business story unfolding here, a story that has already drawn strong interest and a diverse range of companies from abroad. It is no longer a secret that Virginia Beach offers an extremely sophisticated, cost-effective opportunity for forward-thinking foreign companies.

Boom town
The Virginia Beach business boom, especially in the international market, did not happen by accident. For years, the local government, the economic development department and business leaders have focused on making the city attractive by keeping taxes and regulations low, by providing creative incentives based on companies’ needs, and, of course, by promoting Virginia Beach as a wonderful place to live and work. CNNMoney.com has named Virginia Beach the second most business-friendly city in America, and Forbes calls us one of America’s hardest-working cities.

The city works hard to make life, and business, easy for our international business arrivals

These local efforts have worked, and international companies have taken notice. Today, there are more than 200 foreign-based businesses located in the Virginia Beach area, and more than 20 international firms have chosen to locate their US or North American headquarters here. STIHL, Kettler, Busch, Hermes and IMS Gear are just a few. In addition to those foreign names, Virginia Beach is also proud that well-known US companies have been extremely successful here, including Avis/Budget, GEICO, WellPoint, DuPont, Liberty Tax and more.

As a business destination, Virginia Beach has an exciting list of benefits to offer. Top among them is the Port of Virginia, a key gateway for global commerce. With 15.25m-deep channels, four public marine terminals and the largest container cranes in the world, the Port of Virginia connects global businesses to their customers anywhere.

The Port of Virginia is also one of America’s most advanced deep-water ports, and is just one part of our efficient multimodal transportation system.

Ready to go
The region also boasts a world-class telecommunications system, which makes communicating globally easy and reliable. This is all on top of a low cost of doing business and a highly skilled workforce. Indeed, it’s easy to see why fDi Magazine ranked Virginia Beach as the best mid-sized city in the US. The city’s infrastructure and economic potential were also ranked in the top 10 for mid-sized cities in the Western Hemisphere.

The living is easy in Virginia Beach, and the city works hard to make life, and business, easy for our international business arrivals. Thanks to the heavy volume of global trade that takes place here, businesses have access to some of the best international business law and immigration attorneys in the US. Also, most banks are experienced in conducting international financial transactions.

So, when you combine this dynamic business story with such an exciting place to live, we think you’ll agree the area looks spectacular. Virginia Beach is fluent in the language of business. We hope that, after doing some research, you’ll agree the benefits of locating your company here, and living here, are very clear indeed.