Major events in 2014 will 'provide a significant boost' say Salmond Scotland's international profile will increase next year, leading to global business opportunities, the First Minister has told a group of business leaders. With the Commonwealth Games, the Ryder Cup, the MTV Europe Awards and the independence referendum being held in the country within the space of a few months next year, Alex Salmond believes the economy will receive a boost. Speaking at the Scottish Chambers of Commerce annual dinner in Glasgow, Mr Salmond said the Government and the chambers will convene a summit for local chambers from across the country to ensure that businesses in all parts of Scotland can make the most of opportunities. He said there will also be social and health benefits, particularly from the Commonwealth Games, which start in Glasgow in July. The First Minister said: "In the space of two months, Scotland will host the Ryder Cup and the Commonwealth Games - two of the biggest sporting events on the planet. Preparations for both are well under way. For the Commonwealth Games, for example, all the venues are open, the athletes' village is nearly ready, and more than 90% of tickets have been sold. I want to focus on the economic legacy of the events being staged in 2014. I'm going to talk in particular about the long-term opportunities for tourism, for trade, and for training and skills. Mr Salmond said 400 companies have already benefited from more than £250m of contracts awarded for the Commonwealth Games. "Next year's Ryder Cup is likely to support employment for a further 5000 people," he added. The last time the Ryder Cup was held on these islands - in Wales in 2010 - direct expenditure for the week of the tournament was more than £80m. These direct benefits in themselves will provide a significant boost to jobs and to business confidence - at a time when economic recovery is still at a relatively early stage. The message I want to get across this evening is that 2014 should be an opportunity for the next generation, not the next 12 months. The eyes of the world will be on Scotland next year to a greater extent than they have been in decades. Earlier on Wednesday, the Government announced that an international business conference, organised jointly by the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise and the UK Government, will take place in Glasgow on the eve of the Commonwealth Games. Mr Salmond said: "The conference will link international companies with Scottish businesses to create new opportunities for trade. We will convene a summit later this year with the Chambers of Commerce, to make sure that local chambers, in every part of Scotland, can establish links with chambers in Commonwealth countries around the world.