As was the case at this year’s Avalon International Air Show and the Defence and Industry Conference, DMO and Defence will have a significant presence at next January’s Pacific 2008 conference.

With the Christmas/New Year period just around the corner, industry representatives will be thinking of the next major conference and industry showcase – Pacific 2008 from 29 January to 1 February at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour.

The 2008 event is the fifth ‘Pacific’ conference and expo. In 2006 it involved 324 trade exhibitors from Australia and 15 other countries. That event attracted 10,000 accredited trade and military visitations, with 36 trade, diplomatic and military delegations from 27 nations. Six other conferences were held in conjunction in 2006, with national and international journalists and photographers from the general and specialist media attending.

Given the size of the prospective audience at the biennial 2008 event, DMO and Defence will have an expanded stand in the trade showcase allowing more Defence and DMO areas to take the opportunity to talk to industry representatives in one-to-one consultation and to take advantage of networking opportunities.

The trade expo is open only to maritime, naval, defence, corporate, scientific and government representatives. European and North American based companies, in particular, treat the conference as an important opportunity to touch base with key decision makers of South East Asia and the Asia Pacific.

Crucially, the 2008 exposition will also host a Careers and Skills Showcase, with free admission to accredited careers and teaching professionals on the Friday. The focus will be career opportunities available to young people in Australian maritime and Defence industries and represents a real opportunity to assist them into Defence and defence industry jobs.

The program commences on Tuesday, 29 January, with the opening (0900) and trade day running from 1000-1800. The trade days include the Wednesday and Thursday, with Friday open from 1000-1500.

A link to Pacific 2008 information and other events is featured in the Upcoming Events section of On Target.