ORLANDO, Fla. -- Look in your own community first when trying to find international tourism opportunities, say experts.

"Whats your niche? Look for your strengths," Kenneth Mouradian told attendees at an education session at UMA Motorcoach Expo here last month.

Mouradin is director of U.S. and Foreign Commercial Services Orlando field office, a U.S. Department of Commerce agency.

Study your region and study the possibilities. It might be green travel or adventure (like skiing and hiking). Even baby boomers have become a niche, he says.

In Chicago, for example, says Steve Klika, president of International Motor Coach Group Inc., there is a large population of Polish extraction; and in Minnesota, many people have Scandinavian ties. Take advantage of that, he says.

"How can you synergize with those groups? Find out what makes sense for your community."

Start out small, he advises, perhaps providing support for companies in other countries. "You have to share back and forth," he says. "You start this chain reaction and it keeps building and building. This is a two-way street. If you think youre going to get something for nothing, it isnt going to work that way."

Klika also warned attendees not to treat their international customers like a commodity. "We are a service. This is about building relationships. Theres a tendency to treat people like American citizens." Its important to at least understand some of the basic cultural needs of the customers, he said.

"Weve got to get out of the mindset that our culture has to dictate; we have to understand that people from other countries do business differently, they react differently," says Klika.

For example, Germans look at travel as a total experience, always on the lookout to immerse themselves in the culture.

He advised that it helps to be ready with a translation and cultural resource in your community. It could be your childs German or Spanish teacher, for example, or perhaps a multicultural driver.

"Look at what your customer really wants," says Klika. "It may not be 20,000 places in five days."