A major Australian trade mission to Rio de Janeiro has learnt first-hand the enormity of the task required to prepare the city for the 2016 Olympics and, to a lesser extent, the 2014 World Cup. Opportunities across a range of industries linked to the two events are being revealed each day and a number of links are already in the making.
Led by former Socceroos captain turned football journalist Craig Foster, who has existing links with Latin America through his involvement with the Council on Australia Latin America Relations (COALAR), the mission has been received warmly by a range of Rio-based public and private groups, with the many social, cultural and physical similarities of the two countries proving key in discussions and promises of new business relationships.
In particular, opportunities involving sport and event specific education, specialist sport infrastructure expertise and event planning know-how are emerging. A portion of the delegation also attended the annual Soccerex global football conference, which itself attracted a strong showing of international football and sport business groups, as well as many Brazil 2014 World Cup-related bodies.
The trade mission, a collaboration between Austrade, AISES, ABCC, ALABC and ICN, is also visiting Brasilia, Belo Horizonte and Sao Paulo to seek out and discuss further business prospects. Further reports to come.