Aussie coastline makes a splash

Australia’s rep as a glorious acquatic destination is about to get a whole lot bigger.

Our beautiful sunny country is set to be sold as the world’s biggest waterpark in a new tourism campaign that creates a snapshot of the country’s offerings, according to an exclusive report by news.com.au.

From Queensland on the Great Barrier Reef to South Australia and Sydney Harbour, the new Tourism Australia campaign will endeavour to reignite the spark out aquatic and coastal experiences once held for global travellers.

It follows a recent announcement that Tourism Australia would champion Australia’s coastal offerings after online searches for Aussies beaches and waterways sagged lower than usual.

Tourism Australia’s managing director John O’Sullivan told news.com.au that Australia was increasingly facing “stiff competition from countries such as South Africa, Hawaii and the US, which were all raising their game.”

“Aquatic and coastal experiences have always been an important part of the Australia story but they’ve never before taken centre stage,” O’Sullivan said.

“This campaign will do just that by putting aquatic and coastal Australia on the main stage.”

Other locations being used to entice overseas visitors are Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra, Katherine Gorge in the Northern Territory and Victoria’s Twelve Apostles.

Coming in at the pretty price of around $5 million, Tourism Australia isn’t holding back, unleashing a further $40 million rolling out the campaign to major markets like China, the US, UK, Japan and our friends across the ditch in NZ.

Tourism and Events Queensland CEO Leanne Coddington said the state’s aquatic and coastal experiences were worthy of a place on the world stage.

“From surfing the white sandy stretches of the Gold Coast to sailing the Whitsundays and diving the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland has the best aquatic and coastal experiences in the world,” Coddington told news.com.au.

“We want to inspire global travellers to come here for authentic and amazing experiences you wouldn’t get anywhere else, and to share them with family and friends.”

In the website’s report, it seemed South Australian Tourism Minister Leon Bignell was equally as stoked, saying their own coastline was one of the best and most beautiful drawcards of the state.

“Our coasts and clean waters provide some of the world’s best seafood as well as unique tourism experiences such as shark cage diving,” he said.

“Hopefully the campaign will convince more travellers to visit our state and enjoy everything it has to offer.”

O’Sullivan said Australia would get its first look at the completed campaign early next year, and it would then be rolled out to the country’s key markets around the world.

Sites to be featured in Tourism Australia’s campaign include:

ACT — Lake Burley Griffin and a scenic trip of the Capital
NSW — Sydney Harbour and beach / cafe surrounds
NT — Katherine Gorge and Indigenous experiences
QLD — Relaxing on a sand cay and snorkelling on Great Barrier Reef
QLD — Gold Coast beach experience
QLD — Whitehaven (The Whitsundays)
SA — Kangaroo Island experience including food and wine
SA — Swim with dolphins at Glenelg
SA — Swimming with sea lions
TAS — The Three Capes Track Walking Experience
VIC — Helicopter ride over the Twelve Apostles
WA — Fremantle, Cottesloe and journey to Rottnest Island

Story originally appeared on news.com.au

Images: Pixabay.

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