Young Britons head Down Under
LONDON – The number of young Britons heading to Australia for a 12 month working holiday has increased by 20 percent.
Figures released by the Australian Department of Immigration show 20,851 visas were granted between July and December 2008, compared with 17,327 during the same months in 2007.
The visa is available to 18-30 year old British citizens, and initially allows participants to work and travel in Australia for one year. After that, providing they meet certain criteria, they can then apply to remain in the country for a second year.
Tourism Australia has attributed the spike in arrivals to a recent marketing campaign promoting the joys of picking fruit or pulling pints in Sydney, Melbourne or any outback town.
However, it is not clear if the figures reflect the appeal of Australia or a desire among those eligible to escape the dire economic situation in the UK.
Either way, the figures are a rare piece of good news for the Australian tourism industry, which is suffering from falling visitor numbers due to the global economic slowdown.
Ian Jarrett
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