FED: Olympic exposure drives Australia s popularity in US

AAP General News (Australia)
08-04-2000
FED: Olympic exposure drives Australia s popularity in US

The Australian Tourist Commission says Sydney Olympics fever has prompted almost one
in four Americans to rate Australia their ideal travel destination.

A commission survey shows Australia's popularity as a tourist destination is at an
all-time high in the United States.

The commission's managing director, JOHN MORSE, says Americans are arguably the Games'
biggest fans and the millions of dollars' worth of publicity for Australia they've generated
is raising awareness and interest in Australia to unprecedented levels.

The survey's found 22 per cent of Americans now vote Australia as their number-one
ideal travel destination, up four per cent on last year's level.

France is next in popularity, with eight per cent favouring it as their first-choice destination.





But as far as the place survey respondents are most likely to visit for their next
holiday, Australia ranks fifth -- improving from equal seventh last year.

Europe and Italy rank equal first, each with 10 per cent of the vote.

The United States is Australia's fourth-biggest tourism source market, attracting 417,000
people last year, or 9.4 per cent of all overseas visitors.

AAP ch/jhm/sub/jn

KEYWORD: OLY US (BRISBANE)

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