Media Statements - Minister: Perth to host 15 major events in 2001

14/12/00

Fifteen major international events will be staged in Western Australia in 2001.

Announcing next year’s Best on Earth in Perth calendar today, Tourism Minister Norman Moore said 2001 would be one of the ‘best ever’ for major events in the State.

“We will see world champion athletes and sporting teams as well as top cultural events which reflect not only the calibre of events this State attracts but also the diversity,” Mr Moore said.

"In hosting these 15 events, WA is further cementing its reputation as one of the major event capitals of the world.”

Mr Moore said EventsCorp-supported events in the 2001 Best One Earth in Perth calendar would inject approximately $43 million into the local economy and generate a significant range of international television into the State’s target tourism markets as well.

“Since the first Best on Earth in Perth campaign in 1997-98, approximately $230 million has been generated for Western Australia from events supported by EventsCorp,” he said.

The Minister also announced a new international event for 2001 at this morning's launch.

“The Global One-Day Provincial Cricket Tournament is a unique concept developed in Western Australia by EventsCorp and the WACA,” Mr Moore said.

“It will be played at the WACA Ground between March 29 and April 4 next year.

“It will feature the winning one-day teams from Australia, New Zealand, India and South Africa and they will play off to find which is the best one-day provincial cricket side.”

Other events are:

A new once-in-a-lifetime art exhibition is also included in the calendar.

The Monet and Japan exhibition at the Art Gallery of Western Australia will present an opportunity to see more than 30 of Claude Monet's greatest paintings.

The exhibition will present Monet's works in the company of an extensive selection of Japanese prints, paintings and decorative arts known to late-nineteenth century Paris.

In addition to these events, two international sporting events on the calendar will be held for the first time in 2001:

The Perth International Golf Tournament in November, 2001, will have prize money of $1.5million catapulting it to the top three international tournaments in Australia right from the start.

The world's leading hang gliding and paragliding pilots will compete in a series of spectacular flying disciplines as part of the Speed Gliding World Series in October. Western Australia will be the backdrop to this event, which will be televised to an international audience.

This is an extreme sport, which reinforces WA's tourism positioning as an adventure-based tourist destination.

The 2001 Best on Earth in Perth calendar series includes regular favourites such as the Hyundai Hopman Cup Tennis Tournament, Telstra Rally Australia, the Heineken Classic Golf Tournament, and Test Cricket between Australia and New Zealand.

Two events, which were extremely popular with Perth sports fans in previous years, will be back in 2001.

International Rugby Union will see traditional rivals, Australia and South Africa, playing in Perth in August - the only chance to see the Wallabies playing the Springboks on Australian soil next year. The 1998 match between these teams saw more than 1,000 South African and interstate fans travel to Perth for this event and a sellout crowd of 40,000 at Subiaco Oval.

Also back in Perth, after a 10-year absence, is the Davis Cup by NEC - the largest annual global team competition in sport. Ecuador's Lapentti brothers and last year's Davis Cup champions, Australia, are sure to produce some fantastic tennis on the grass courts of Royal Kings Park Tennis Club.

The Karate Goju Kai World Championships will help to reinforce Australia's influence in the martial arts arena when 1,000 competitors from 40 countries visit Perth in December 2001.

More information on these events can be found on EventsCorp's website - http://eventscorp.com.au

Media contacts:
Hartley Joynt, Minister’s office, 9321 1444
Janine Carter, EventsCorp, 9270 3311