Nearly six months after the trade mission to Spain, the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC) reported that sales achieved by some of the participating businesses have already exceeded the amount invested in the trip.

In November 2025, the agency subsidized a week-long trip to Spain for 18 Puerto Rican companies to meet with Spanish companies and secure export agreements for their products and services.

“These projects take time, but so far, the service companies—specifically three companies—have already closed contracts with Spanish companies and are offering services worth over $367,000,” Soraya Morón, Assistant Secretary of Strategic Operations at the DDEC, told EL VOCERO, W JOURNAL’S sister publication, in an interview.

The mission was initially estimated to cost $60,000, but ultimately reached $102,500. Of that amount, $25,000 comes from the federal State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) program of the Small Business Administration (SBA).

“There are other companies, particularly manufacturing companies, that are continuing discussions and are quite close to finalizing the processes to get their products into the market. It has taken them some time due to the permitting process, and we are supporting them in this process, but once that sales opportunity is finalized, we will soon surpass $1 million in sales,” the official stated.

She explained that, although they cannot yet reveal the names of these companies due to confidentiality clauses in the processes, they are companies in the food sector.

The official added that, as part of Puerto Rico’s participation as a partner country at the 2027 International Tourism Fair (FITUR), to be held in Madrid, the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC) will be present alongside local companies with the goal of strengthening trade ties with that market.

Details on Other Trips

The trade mission was part of an ambitious agenda, beginning in 2026, to promote the export of local products and services to strategic markets worldwide.

For this purpose, $1.6 million was allocated, of which $600,000 came from STEP funds and $1 million from the DDEC budget.

As recently as the second week of April, the agency reported on a mission to the Dominican Republic, which included the participation of 15 Puerto Rican companies and an investment of $35,000.

In March, a delegation of 14 businesspeople traveled to Orlando, Florida, with a budget of $112,460, and nine Puerto Rican companies participated in the Expocomer 2026 international trade show in Panama, with a budget of $85,100.

At the Interphex Trade Show held last week in New York, the DDEC allocated more than $153,170.

The next trade mission will be to Texas in June, and they are currently evaluating applications from more than 50 local companies.

“The return on investment for these missions is much more positive than the cost. We firmly believe that continuing these kinds of efforts is absolutely essential,” Morón emphasized.