OPEN FOR BUSINESS
Table tennis tournament brings Chinese investors and 100 million viewers
CHINESE investors will scour Geelong for potential business opportunities when they touch down in the region for an international table tennis tournament.
The Seamaster 2018 ITTF World Tour Australian Open will start today, bringing more than 2400 spectators to Geelong to watch more than 150 competitors from 20 countries competing for $400,000 prize money.
But Geelong could be the true winner of the event, with tourism experts and researchers saying it will act as a “giant billboard” for the Geelong region.
More than 100 million Chinese viewers are expected to tune into the event which will broadcast to 80 countries.
Geelong tourism chief Roger Grant said the event provided a unique opportunity to promote Geelong as a travel destination to an international audience while also bringing highly influential business people and future investors to the region.
“What’s really intriguing is the coverage directly into China and the television coverage which we certainly understand and hope will be put in a destination context (providing) the opportunity to talk about Geelong and the Great Ocean Road as a destination,” Mr Grant said.
“We know there are significant VIPs that will have a look around at potential investment opportunities. It’s typical of these international events that they can deliver benefits on so many levels.”
Deakin University sports marketing lecturer Dr Michael Naraine said the event was part of a larger strategy aimed as showing off Geelong to international audiences.
“This event is part of a larger internationalisation strategy for Geelong and Regional Victoria, using sport as the vehicle to enhance tourism and investment,” Dr Naraine said. “Local interest and grassroots development in table tennis will be a byproduct of hosting. The primary goal of this event is showing off Geelong as a high value proposition for foreign investment, relative to Melbourne and other parts of Australia, to millions of viewers, predominantly from the Chinese market.
“Organising events of this scale is not about the few thousand that will walk through the gates, but the millions that will experience your locale through television and the world wide web. The Australian Open will act as a giant billboard for the Geelong community.”
Twenty Australians will compete alongside some of the world’s top players, including the nation’s top male table tennis player and Olympian David Powell as well as Heming Hu, Kane Townsend and Jian Fang Lay.
The event will be held at the Geelong Arena from today until Sunday.