Attenborough joins search for nemo

The legend that is David Attenborough is returning to Aussie shores almost 60 years after his first visit.

Attenborough’s visit is part of a new multi-platform media project between Atlantic Productions and Tourism Australia aimed at inspiring greater interest and more visits to the Great Barrier Reef.

Tourism Australia announced the new collaboration today at its inaugural Destination Australia Conference in Sydney.

Gearing up to air early in 2016, and expected to be distributed across more than 130 countries, the three-part documentary series will form a key part of a renewed push by Tourism Australia to promote Australia’s aquatic and coastal experiences.

Tourism Australia’s managing director John O’Sullivan said it was exciting to see the man himself back on the world’s largest coral reef.

“It’s wonderful to welcome David back to the Reef where he will, once again, bring to life the many amazing stories of this magnificent natural wonder in his own unique and inimitable way,” O’Sullivan said.

“David Attenborough is one of the world’s greatest presenters of natural history content, and the Great Barrier Reef is arguably the world’s most recognised natural wonder. We couldn’t ask for a better match.”

Attenborough spent three weeks on the reef filming, including a spot of time aboard one of the world’s most advanced research vessels.

Attenborough said returning to the reef, equipped with snazzy technology and science, provided a thrilling opportunity to see the iconic destination through a new lens.

“The most exciting natural history experience of my life was the first time I dived on a coral reef [in 1957]. Being on the reef is a revelatory, thrilling and unbeatable experience and with this project we’re going to be able to share it with millions,” Attenborough said.

CEO of Atlantic Productions and producer for the project Anthony Geffen said that combining the latest technology with cutting edge research and science would help audiences in understanding more about one of the most fascinating places on the planet.

“This project is intended go beyond a documentary series and we hope it will provide new inspiration through ground-breaking digital content to natural history lovers all over the world,” Geffen said.

And the mighty reef is still one of Australia’s strongest tourism drawcards, reeling in more than 1.9 million each year, and with 90% of direct economic contribution in the region pulled out of tourism.

“We already know from our consumer research that Australia’s biggest competitive strength is its world class nature, something which is extremely highly regarded from all our key target markets and very much a core part of our global tourism offering,” O’Sullivan.

“The Great Barrier Reef is a huge part of our destination appeal, with consumers in the UK, US, Singapore and Japan actually ranking it as their number one most appealing Australian attraction.

“It’s vital that we continue to show the world why our aquatic and coastal experience are so unique, and this film will undoubtedly help tell that story to a truly global audience in an authentic and engaging way,” he added.

The collaboration between Atlantic Productions and Tourism Australia in bringing the reef to life in a totally new way will no doubt work to inspire more visits down under, and to reef in particular.

Tourism Australia is developing plans to translate the global exposure into more visits by utilising the unique video, digital, print and PR assets generated by the project.

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Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

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