Tourism Australia sets up a virtual weekend Down Under for planners

National tourism board Tourism Australia is inviting event planners around the globe to enjoy a slice of Australia with a curated programme of live virtual travel experiences on the weekend of 15-17 May. The initiative called ‘Live from Aus’ will deliver 24 hours of education and entertainment across two days, with new content debuting each hour. Offering a glimpse of what’s possible for future incentive events in Australia, the weekend will include a range of exclusive travel experiences, highlighting the country’s natural beauty, food and drink and wildlife. From wine tasting and cheese making to the waters of the Great Barrier Reef and evenings at Uluru and the Sydney Opera House, the programme of live events kicks off from 10PM (GMT+1) on Friday 15 May 2020. Tourism Australia Managing Director, Phillipa Harrison said the broadcast and digital activation aim to keep event planners inspired and engaged for when it’s safe to send groups to Australia again. “Even though demand for travel is currently on hold and the timing of the recovery is still uncertain, it’s important that we continue to engage with business event planners around the globe,” she said. “Our goal is keeping Australia front of mind for event planners by using this enforced period of self-isolation to engage with people in their living rooms, feed their escapism and inspire them to plan for travel again once the restrictions start to lift.” The Live From Aus programme will be hosted by an array of Australian personalities and industry operators and the programme will include a live music programme presented by Sounds Australia. The full schedule is available via www.australia.com and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SeeAustralia/events/