17 June 2008

New Australian film to attract travellers down-under

A film based in Australia is hoped to increase the number of people choosing to travel to the country. According to the Australian Federal Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson, the soon-to-be released film from Baz Luhrmann, entitled Australia, will be great tourism marketing for the country and will lead to more people applying for an Australian ETA visa, reports TravelMole.com.

He told the website: "I am pleased to officially announce that Tourism Australia is working closely with 20th Century Fox and Baz Luhrmann to maximise the national benefit from the release of Australia through the See the Movie, See the Country project." Mr Ferguson added that the film will bring light to aspects of the country which prospective Australian travel visa holders know nothing about, including the history and culture. One company, Voyages Hotels and Resorts, said they expect to see a rise in bookings for outback adventures from Australian ETA visa holders, following the release of the film.

An ETA visa is required for all short-term visitors travelling to Australia. Visa Bureau’s automated application process means that in most cases, they can be granted in seconds.