28-30 November 2011

HKRTIA is the co-organiser for  
Greater China Retail Technology Mission to Victoria, Australia

Welcome to Melbourne!

The State Government of Victoria, Australia is pleased to welcome representatives of selected retail companies and retail technology suppliers from Greater China to visit Melbourne. The purpose of your journey is positive and exciting and hopefully will result in developing business relationships with Victorian retail technology suppliers and retailers.

For background, the retail sector is the major driver of growth in the Australian economy, with total turnover of $292 billion, and employing over 1.5 million people. PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) predicts the online shopping market in Australia in 2011 will reach $13.6 billion, a growth of 13 per cent from the $12 billion expenditure in 2010. This equates to 5.5 per cent of total retail sales.

The environment of the retailing sector in Australia has changed rapidly over the last couple of years. The increase of social media, online and mobile retailing, as well as increased competition from overseas brands, has caused a shift in the way Australian retail operates.

Smart mobile devices and improved broadband access have enabled retailers to deploy customer engagement strategies bundling financial and marketing services capabilities, including mobile payments and location-aware technologies. The ever-connected world of the internet has allowed electronic, mobile and countertop commerce to interact, providing more convenience and choice for Australian consumers.

Australian retailers are also embracing the opportunity to use the new media-rich and multi-channel digital environment to compete and grow their market share.

Participating in this delegation will provide you with the opportunity to meet with some of Victoria’s most innovative retail technology suppliers and retailers, and learn about the technology trends in the Australian retail sector.

We hope you enjoy your stay in Melbourne and enjoy learning more about our sophisticated, stylish and cosmopolitan city as well as the beauty of rural Victoria.

Department of Business and Innovation, Government of Victoria, Victoria, Australia