02 July 2008

Australia says G’day to Israel

Australia announced plans to host a week-long festival in Israel next year in an attempt to raise the country’s profile. The G’day Israel festival will be similar to G’day USA-Australia Week, which has been running since 1994 and showcases all that is Australian to Americans, reports JTA news.

The Australia Israel Cultural Exchange has spearheaded the campaign, which is due to take place June 21-29 next year.  The festival will include screenings of Australian films, a two-day trade, tourism and education expo in Tel Aviv, and a two-day symposium focusing on environmental and conservation issues. 

The initiative is in part designed to promote relations between the countries, and to promote tourism to Australia.  The Australian Government and Tourism Australia are working hard to increase the numbers of travellers on an Australia visa or Australian working visa to boost the lagging tourist economy. 

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.

Anyone interested in applying for an Australian working visa should confirm their eligibility by taking Visa Bureau’s online assessment.