Austrade media release
11 January 2009
G’Day USA: Australia Week 2010 kicks off this month providing unmatched business and export opportunities for Australian businesses across an array of sectors at events being held in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and San Diego.
Now in its seventh year, the celebration of all things Australian remains the largest foreign country promotion held annually in the United States, building on the success of previous years.
Austrade’s Regional Director for the Americas, Grame Barty, said “the 2010 program will again demonstrate Australia as an innovative, sophisticated economy with leading edge research technology, goods and services with an increased focus on water and energy management.”
“Austrade continues to play a pivotal role in the program, creating new business opportunities in energy, water management and financial services as well as promoting Australia as a desirable place for investment, Mr Barty said.
Austrade’s Los Angeles-based Senior Trade Commissioner, Sally-Ann Watts, said the West Coast program will feature a clean technology networking event in San Diego highlighting Australian capability in the sector; water and energy forums in Los Angeles; as well as a wine and tourism promotion in San Francisco.
“The clean technology networking forum will hear from Australian and US experts about developments, challenges and opportunities in biofuels and raise Australia’s profile as a natural business partner in the US in particular with San Diego, which is home to more than 625 clean technology companies and is a recognised innovation centre for algae biofuels,” Ms Watts said.
“Our other area of focus is the water sector. With California in its fourth year of drought, the timing is ideal to showcase Australian expertise and innovation in this sector.
“The water management and sustainability forum, involving over 30 Australian and US water experts, will provide an outstanding platform to highlight Australia’s capability in water management and sustainability and builds on the success of the Austrade co-ordinated North American water delegation which visited Australia in November last year” Ms Watts said.
In San Francisco, an Innovation Shoot Out event has also been organised to showcase seven Australian technology companies to the Silicon Valley investment community.
On the East Coast, Austrade’s New York-based Senior Trade Commissioner, Gerard Seeber, said the events planned for New York further promote Australia’s world-class capabilities in industries including financial services, fashion and resources and energy.
“Building on the momentum created by the success of the events over the past three year’s the 2010 program again includes a financial services forum which will help demonstrate Australia’s economic credentials, expertise and highly developed financial markets, which make Australia one of the major capital markets in Asia,” Mr Seeber said.
“The Australian Resources and Energy Investment Forum will provide an outline of Australian capabilities and investment opportunities within the sector,” Mr Seeber said.
“The Fashion Designer showcase will feature ten emerging Australian designers providing a unique opportunity to display their designs to high-end retailers and fashion media in one of the world’s most competitive fashion markets.
“In addition, a total of 25 Australian companies will participate in this year’s gourmet food and wine showcase being held in New York’s The Food Emporium stores,” Mr Seeber said.
The United States continues to be a valuable market for Australian businesses looking to expand internationally. In 2008-2009 the US was Australia’s third largest trading partner with two-way trade valued at $53.1 billion.
Austrade has a network devoted to the US market, providing extensive support for Australian exporters and assisting US companies invest into Australia.
G’Day USA: Australia Week runs from 9 - 22 January and is produced by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Austrade, Tourism Australia and Qantas Airways. In addition to the founding partners, Australia Week is supported by the State Governments of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia and around 33 sponsors.
For more information on events being held, visit www.australia-week.com
ENDS
Media contact
Sarkis Khoury, Senior Media Adviser, Ph: 02-9390-2118, M: 0414 401 072
|