Media release

Australian Minister for Trade, Mark Vaile

Thursday, 21 September 2000

Business Club Australia rushed by top executives

Australia's Olympics shop window, the Austrade-managed Business Club Australia, has immediately become the sell-out venue for global business people in Sydney for the Games, according to Trade Minister Mark Vaile

In just a week since the opening ceremony, more than 5,000 of the world's business elite – and their Australian counterparts – have visited the Darling Harbour based facility. It is anticipated the Business Club Australia will eventually attract A$1 billion in new combined export and investment revenue.

Mr Vaile said a trip to Business Club Australia was a 'must-visit' venue for thousands of top executives from around the world.

The opening night event alone attracted a crowd of more than one thousand, and each networking session has either been sold out or attracted a capacity crowd.

A series of 20 specialist briefing networking events held so far have attracted a line up of international guests and speakers. These include Mrs Anson Chan, the Chief Secretary for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China; the Hon. Milan Kucan, President of the Republic of Slovenia; Mr Liu Qo, Mayor of Beijing; Mr Wa Toshiro, the Governor of Osaka, and Mr Tom Matz, Vice President North America of Southcorp.

"In just six days Business Club Australia has already attracted more than 5,000 business visitors. I am confident that the outcomes of the many meetings now taking place there will ensure the Club achieves everything that was expected of it," Mr Vaile said.

"Initial attendance has surpassed even our most optimistic expectations - which augers well for our plans to leverage maximum business impact from Australia's staging of the 2000 Olympic Games," he said. Mr Vaile is based at Business Club Australia during the Games.

More than 90 key presentations and networking events scheduled to take place at the Club until 1 October. Current figures indicate the Club is attracting more than 1,000 business people visitors every day.

"These and other key events will facilitate the development of new business relationships between Australian business people and international business visitors," Mr Vaile said.

Local Date: Friday, 21-Nov-2008 00:37:27 EST