Gold Coast - Australia's new 'Innovation City'

November 2001 signalled a monumental achievement for Australia's ICT industry, when the Executive Working Committee of the Asia-Pacific ICT Awards (APICTA) announced that Australia had won the right to host the 2003 International Asia-Pacific ICT Awards.

Set against a backdrop of beautiful beaches and some of the world's best golf courses, Queensland's Gold Coast is driven by an innovative and fast growing ICT business community, offering the ideal location to stage the 2003 APICTA.

2003 Asia Pacific ICT Awards
Exposition & Summit
November 12-14 2003 · Conrad Jupiters Hotel · Gold Coast · Australia

The 2003 APICTA will be uniquely staged as a stand-alone event, allowing the key focus to remain on each country's nominations. As in previous years, Australia will provide each nominee with a complimentary booth at the APICTA Exposition of Nominations. With an anticipated 15 countries to nominate more than 300 companies, educational institutions and individuals to compete, the APICTA 2003 will be an event not to be missed.

Adding even more value to the APICTA 2003, Australia will facilitate a three-day, high level Summit in conjunction with the Awards program. The Summit, "Developing a Regional ICT Industry & Community" will be designed to leverage the presence of regional leaders and high profile industry figures, taking the APICTA's 'Network of Co-operation' to the next level.

'Developing a Regional ICT Industry & Community',
"Opportunities & Challenges."

Each of the conference days will be broken into three segments of approximately 2 hours. Nine countries will be designated one of these time slots to present an overview of their country's ICT Industry and Community. Each country will be asked to begin their time slot with an address from either their Head of State or their Minister of ICT. If a country nominates their Head of State to speak then he or she will become the keynote speaker for that day.

After the keynote speaker of each country has finished their introduction, the remainder of their 2 hours will be filled with speakers nominated from that country. Each country's series of presenters will be asked to cover such topics as:

· How to do business in their country
· Future plans and directions
· Government initiatives
· Business matching and technology transfer programs
· Existing business opportunities for foreign companies

The broad speaker guidelines will be developed so that every attendee to the Summit should leave knowing exactly how, when and where their company should be doing business in the region.

The Australian Organising Committee of the 2003 APITCA has agreed to donate US$250 per delegate back to the Executive Working Committee to pay for airfares and accommodation of participating nominees of the 2003 APICTA.

With the support of Brunei & other participating countries, the APICTA's cross subsidy should finance the travelling costs of approximately 300 international nominees, including 25 local Brunei representatives.

Each participating country will also be invited to build a Country Display Area at the Award's Exposition of Nominations. This will allow delegates to source even more information relating to each country that has presented.

A comprehensive real time, online Business Matching Program will be a key function of the Summit, enabling the participating companies to make instant progress with opportunities they have identified in the region & to simultaneously generate international alliances.

Whilst there are no doubts that this unique Awards, Exposition and Summit program has sparked unprecedented interest among numerous Asia Pacific Governments and Industries, it will also be equally beneficial to American and European ICT players looking to penetrate the Asian ICT markets. The unique selling point of this conference is: -

' Where else in the world can you attend a single conference and hear from so many Regional Head's of State and Government Ministers talking about their respective ICT industries? '

Australia is looking to the continued strong support from the Brunei Computer Society. As a Founding Member of APICTA, the Australian Organising Committee invites Brunei to accept a lead role at APICTA 2003.

We look forward to seeing you all at APICTA 2003 on Australia's Gold Coast.