Australia Post Chief Executive Ahmed Fahour knows how to turn a problem into an opportunity. He showed his success on Tuesday when the agency he heads opened its 24/7 operations that relies heavily on delivery and pick up of parcels ordered online by Aussies.

Mr Fahour led the opening of the Brisbane facility which is the first of 30 such outlets underway. Eventually, Australia Post would have 300 24/7 units across the country which would grant access to residents and allow them to pick up their packages at a time and date convenient to them.

The service was conceptualized in response to a 4 per cent drop in mails posted by Australians the past few years. To make up for the revenue loss, Mr Fahour opened the 24/7 facility to address the 11 per cent rise in package delivery services.

Due to the busy schedule of Australians, most of the time there is no one at home to receive packages delivered by postal workers. At the same time, Aussies find it inconvenient to leave work during office hours just to pick up undelivered packages they ordered online.

The boom in Internet shopping has resulted in Australia Post delivery two out of three parcels purchased online.

"The reality is that the Internet is my core business's worst enemy. It's destroying letter writing. But it's also my best friend because more and more Australians are shopping online, and we can deliver the parcels," Mr Fahour told The Australian.

Besides offering 24/7 service in Brisbane, Australia Post also renovated the facility on Queen Street at a cost of $1.5 million to include a travel hub. The one-stop travel shop is a joint venture between Australia Post, American Express and Harvey World Travel.

Australians who love to travel but have less time to make travel arrangements, could book domestic and international flights, accommodations, cruises and tours at the hub. By 2012, the hub will offer travel insurance and Amex staff will open also in the same place foreign exchange kiosks. Also available are re-loadable prepaid Visa cards.

"You can pick up your travel insurance and your travel merchandise, whether it be a (mobile phone) SIM card you need while you're traveling, or whether it be the (power) adopters that you need," Mr Fahour said.

For Australians and foreign tourists who still use the post office's snail mail but are free only after office hours, there are vending machines that dispense pre-paid Express Post envelopes and packages, and stamps, also on a 24/7 basis.

"This is evolution.... If you don't grow with the times, you will not prosper," Mr Fahour explained.