Abstract
When Asian countries intensify their efforts to be attractive to large investors, and the paradise of the Middle East was transformed into fertile oases to grow the money, the old prejudices about the cultural closeness between Spain and Latin America will be shaken. It seems natural that the Spanish corner of Europe should concentrate its efforts on attracting investment from the language of their brothers across the Atlantic but, is this the right target? Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is vital to the development of recipient countries, bringing the issue to a position high on the agenda of priorities in economic policy for most nations. That´s why there are so many studies on the variables that promote the recruitment and retention of those investments. However, little attention has been given to how to evaluate the "attractiveness" of the investors to determine whether it is worth the effort to attract them, an interesting approach given the necessary commitment of resources over the long term required for the development of promotional activities in recipient countries.Therefore, how should be assessed the attractiveness of the countries likely to atract Direct Foreign Investment (DFI). This paper reflects on the question by studying the three Latin American countries with greater investment in Spain: Brazil, Mexico and Chile. The qualitative validation of this new perspective can determine whether it is appropriate to consider these countries as potential sources of DFI, or whether, by contrast, must seek new partners. The results suggest that the methodology used in this article is also valid for evaluating the attractiveness of DFI from other source countries.