More than 70 corporate clients from across North Asia stepped through the doors of the Australia Pavilion at Expo 2010 on Friday, as part of a Tourism Australia initiative to highlight Australia’s credentials as a business events destination.
Asian buyers experience Australian pavilion
Tourism Australia played host to decision makers and buyers from China, the Republic of Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan in Shanghai, inviting the group to “see the pavilion, experience our country” and hear about Australia’s world leading business events facilities and delivery capabilities.
The group later joined Tourism Australia’s North Asia in-region managers, participating convention bureaux and destination representatives at a gala dinner in the pavilion and sampled the finest in Australian food and wine.
Tourism Australia’s Managing Director, Andrew McEvoy said the initiative, held against the backdrop of the largest world exhibition in history, had proved a winner with both corporate clients and participants from the Australian business events sector.
“Expo 2010 was a grand stage to not only showcase our capability in the business events sector, but also facilitate networking opportunities between Australian convention bureaux and destination representatives and qualified buyers from the Asian corporate meetings and incentives market,” Mr McEvoy said.
“Australia’s business event and incentive offerings were extremely well received and relationships were built during the event have the potential to bring a host of new business to Australian shores.”
Combining cultural and artistic exhibitions, events and forums, Expo 2010 is expected to attract an estimated 70 million visitors to China’s largest city from 1 May to 31 October 2010.
Australia’s visually striking pavilion is situated at the heart of the expo site on the banks of the Huangpu River and showcases Australia’s cities, which are consistently ranked as among the world’s most liveable, and capacity in design services, clean energy technology and innovation.
Tourism Australia’s Regional General Manager for North Asia, Johnny Nee said Tourism Australia’s participation in Expo 2010 was part of an ongoing push into the expanding Asian business events market.
“The Asian economy is remarkably resilient and we expect its business events market, particularly the incentive travel sector, will continue to grow and offer new prospects for Australia in the coming years,” Mr Nee said.
“Through events such as Expo 2010, Tourism Australia is committed to promoting Australia’s attributes, including its close proximity to Asia, its political and economic stability, its creativity and innovation, and its world class business events facilities, to encourage more Asian buyers to consider Australia for their future corporate meetings and incentives events.”
Tourism Australia’s partners in the Expo 2010 promotion were Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef, Business Events Sydney, Gold Coast Convention Bureau, Melbourne Convention + Visitors Bureau and Northern Territory Convention Bureau.
