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Tech And Tourism Connections With San Fran Take Off

01 September 2018

Victoria is connecting with San Francisco like never before with our tech and tourism sectors set to benefit from direct flights and a new campaign to attract investment from Silicon Valley.

The Andrews Labor Government has worked closely with Qantas on the launch of its first direct flights from Melbourne to San Francisco, with four services a week set to add close to 50,000 seats each way a year.

The big boost in visitor numbers is set to generate more than $30 million a year in expenditure, grow total USA air freight exports to over a billion dollars and will make it easier than ever before for San Francisco-based companies to do business with Victoria.

The Labor Government has also launched a major campaign to attract more investment from the world’s leading technology companies in Silicon Valley. The campaign promotes Victoria’s highly skilled tech workforce and position as a leading tech hub in the Asia Pacific region.

The Melbourne Tech City campaign will feature prominent outdoor advertising, including on five of San Francisco’s light rail trams and on coffee cups at cafes along the rail corridor that takes tech workers to key business areas in Silicon Valley, as well as digital advertising and editorial content in key publications.

Victoria has cemented its position as Australia’s leading technology city and is already attracting investments from some of the biggest names in Silicon Valley including Square, Zendesk, Google and Salesforce.

Many of these companies feature in the Melbourne Tech City campaign – explaining why they set up regional headquarters in Melbourne and how it has allowed them to draw on Victoria’s culture of innovation and to gain access to new markets in different time zones.

The digital technology sector already employs 85,000 Victorians and the campaign to attract investment from key US players is part of a broader Labor Government drive to grow the sector and create more jobs for locals.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Trade and Investment Philip Dalidakis

“Tech leaders from Silicon Valley are choosing Melbourne and this campaign is all about attracting more investment and raising our profile as a global tech hub with a culture of innovation and an incredible talent pool.”

“The digital economy is crucial to Victoria’s future and by driving more investment and collaborations with leading companies from San Francisco we will help our local sector grow and create the jobs of the future.”

Quote attributable to Minister for Tourism and Major Events John Eren

“Qantas’ new San Francisco flights are a big win for Victoria – they will strengthen our connection to the United States and bring more visitors, create new business opportunities and deliver more jobs for Victorians.”

Quote attributable to Qantas International CEO Alison Webster

“This is great news for Victorians – they will have direct flights to San Francisco for the very first time and this will allow more entrepreneurs from both countries to explore opportunities and share ideas.”

Reviewed 19 August 2020

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