With a consistent rise in the number of Indian travellers, Australia has become a popular destination recently. Reflecting this, short-term arrivals from India to Australia are forecast to increase by 10.4 per cent in 2011, according to Celia Ho, Regional Manager (South and Southeast Asia), Tourism Victoria, the Victorian Government's lead tourism agency.
With strong research, policy, strategy and aviation platforms, Tourism Victoria was building a framework for greater commercial reach. With seed investment and infrastructure, the agency was enabling the industry to venture into new territories, she said.
Tourists particularly were choosing the State of Victoria and Melbourne as their travel destinations, Ms. Celia Ho said at a media briefing here on Tuesday. During the period January-June 2011, Victoria witnessed a rise of 24.5 per cent in tourist arrivals from India at 62,500. This accounted for 46 per cent of all Indian visitors to Australia, she said. In the longer term it was expected that there would be a rise in the number of tourists to Australia by 8.5 per cent.
According to Huzan Fraser Motivala, Representative (India), Tourism Victoria, the tourism agency had tied up with tour operators such as Thomas Cook, Tiger Sports Marketing and Kuoni to create unique packages for travellers from India. She said the other important tourist destination, Melbourne, claimed the title of the world's most liveable city, citing a survey conducted by Economist Intelligence Unit.
She said Melbourne was the reigning ‘world's ultimate sports city which played host to international sporting tournaments with world class golf course, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival, Formula One racing and Australian Open Tennis.
