G’day USA Program Wraps in LA and Shifts to NYC

Australia’s tourism industry has been centre-stage for the past week in Los Angeles as multiple events promoted the country to millions of Americans at G’Day USA Australia Week 2008.

Tourism Australia Managing Director Geoff Buckley said the Los Angeles program of G’Day USA had drawn significant coverage and exposure for the nation’s tourism businesses.

“As a founding partner and co-organiser of G’Day USA we’ve taken the message of Australia into millions of American homes in just a few days,” he said. “And the spotlight will continue to shine on our industry as we move to New York for the rest of the program.”

Geoff said Tourism Australia and its partners had used G’Day USA as a platform for significant marketing of Australia over the last few weeks.

“Our Aussie Week campaign with Qantas, which promotes one week holidays in Australia, has been ramped up over recent weeks and the results speak for themselves,” he said.

“Qantas reports that it has enjoyed its two best booking weeks ever and visits to Australia.com are running hot.

“Saturday night’s Australia.com Gala Dinner in Los Angeles drew the largest ever international media contingent to cover the now five year old event. A s naming sponsor of the event Australia.com, Tourism Australia’s international website, drew prime time and high profile coverage across the US and the world.

“The purpose of the gala event is simple, to bring together Australian and American celebrities and draw the media spotlight to Australia,” Geoff said.

“Australia.com, as the naming sponsor of the evening, has now been mentioned and covered in influential media as diverse as the prime time entertainment shows that are watched by millions and millions of people, to daily newspapers, websites and blogs which cover Hollywood.

“Media covering the gala, and hence Australia.com, included the wildly popular Entertainment Tonight and The Insider, Access Hollywood, major US networks, People magazine, and international news wire services,” he said.

He also said that the 1,400 guests at the gala were treated to a powerful opening film presentation which wowed them with images of Australia’s great attractions.

“And for those millions of other Los Angelenos who were not at the gala we had the treat of a half hour special on Australian holidays airing on the local CBS network at 7pm that night.”

“All in all Australia, and Australian tourism, was front and centre in the US media over the weekend.”

Geoff  said the involvement of Tourism Ambassador Terri Irwin was again proving a huge draw for US media with appearances planned this week on the top rating Ellen show, Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight, the US Today Show and the Rachael Ray program on Fox.

“We’ll be giving away one of our Aussie Week holidays to the Ellen audience as well which will certainly drive home the message about Australia.”

He added, that Tourism Australia had also hosted a major event at California’s second largest college campus CalPoly in Pomona to promote the new Working Holiday Maker visa and Australia as a vacation destination for young Americans.

“All the States and Territories took part in the fun Aussie picnic day which also featured a performance by hot West Australian band Eskimo Joe and an appearance by Transformers star Rachel Taylor,”

“The new visa also presents an enormous opportunity for Australia to launch into the highly coveted American youth travel market and the reaction of the students this week indicates that Australia is every bit as popular with young Americans as it is with their parents.” 

Geoff said that Tourism Australia’s other major event, the online Great Aussie Auction, which has 35 Australian tourism experiences up for auction from just $1, was again proving a great success.

“Visits to the online auction are high and most importantly the operators taking part are getting their message out to Americans who are clearly planning their next vacation now.”

The New York program for G’Day USA, which starts today USA time and will feature another TA event, PlanetOz, which targets New York based travel trade and media.

A Report by The Mole