I was reading an article about how tourism numbers have really dropped dramatically for Australia since the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Apparently, the novelty has kind of worn off so to speak plus the Aussie Dollar is nearly on par with the US Dollar now. So it is no longer a cheap place to go as it was when I was there five years ago. The article mentioned that they are set to release a new blockbuster/epic movie called “Australia” starring Aussies, Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, that they hope will stir up tourism as “Crocodile Dundee” did in the 1980’s. It’s such a shame that the Aussies have to resort to such tactics to boost tourism and their economy at this point.
I completely understand the fact Australia is as far away as possible from just about anywhere but it is certainly worth the trip. Oz has anything you could want and more with a lot less people, hassles, tourists, traffic and did I mention the nicest people on Earth. It also boasts some of the worlds best beaches, cities, landscapes and some of the best looking people on Earth. You can really do anything in Oz from camping in the Outback to diving in the Great Barrier Reef to eating world class food in Sydney or Melbourne. Safety is never an issue. The whole country is clean and they have koalas and kangaroos-what else could you ask for?
Australia, along with New Zealand, may be my favorite places on Earth so I am a little miffed that people aren’t going there anymore. I understand if they say it’s because it’s too far or that the economy is bad and the exchange rate is no longer favorable. But I feel that it may be a result of just not knowing whats there is to see and do.
I help a lot of people plan their trips to Oz and when they ask me what there is to do-they are shocked that there is so much. Most people have heard of the Sydney Opera House and the Great Barrier Reef but most people haven’t heard of the Great Ocean Road, the different activities you can do in the Outback and the unreal beaches lining the coastlines-both east and west. You can literally do anything but you need time to visit Australia because there is so much and it is a very large country. Put it this way: it’s about the size of the mainland US with a tenth the people. I like those numbers.
As I am writing this, I have mixed emotions about this movie coming out because I want more people to experience how amazing Oz is and to get off the main tourist track and do some true Aussie things and this movie will certainly raise awareness of the country again. However, if people don’t want to or don’t know about it-I almost don’t want them to see/experience what they wouldn’t appreciate. I hope for the sake of the great Aussie people that their economy picks up, as I do ours, but perhaps their country is better off being seen/experienced by those who really want to be there and can appreciate it.
Too bad but if it keeps more of you yanks out then I’m all for it, jk!
Australia is the most amazing place I’ve ever been. I met my husband there and have lived here now for nearly 20 years and have no reason to ever go back to the UK. Theres enough of us here as is so if there are less coming thats all the better!
The article mentioned that they are set to release a new blockbuster/epic movie called “Australia” starring Aussies, Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, that they hope will stir up tourism as “Crocodile Dundee” did in the 1980’s. It’s such a shame that the Aussies have to resort to such tactics to boost tourism and their economy at this point.
The shame just may be that you actually believe that Baz Luhrmann, the director of Romeo & Juliet and Moulin Rouge is making a film as a tactic for getting more people to visit Australia.
The fact of the matter is that “Australia” the motion picture, is an epic story set in Australia, and is very “Australian” in what it depicts and therefore is named as such – but just as there are a myriad of American films that use “America” in their titles but do not set out to make America a more attractive tourist destination (God knows that’s the case with American Gangster, American History X, American Splendor and Once Upon A Time In America, to name very few), the movie is just that, a movie, and not an advertisement for the Australian Tourism Bureau. For anyone to say that “Australia”‘s aim is to make the country itself appear more alluring for tourists is laughable – and shameful ta boot.
Peter, thanks for the great comment. I didn’t mean to infer that they were making the film with the aim of increasing tourism. Just as Crocodile Dundee wasn’t made to specifically increase tourism 20 years ago.
However, the fact remains that tourism did boom after the release of Crocodile and did again boom up to and after the Sydney Olympics and has since tailed off.
I don’t have the article anymore but I believe the crux of the article was that this film should hopefully stir up interest again in visiting the country as has been the result of previous international films and events.
I love Australia and hope that it does and I am really looking forward to seeing the film. It should be interesting to see how they portray the time period of World War II from an Aussie point of view, etc. which I believe is what the plot is set to be if I am not mistaken. Thanks again.