Tourism Australia has launched its new global advertising campaign in Adelaide today.
In a new approach relying on social media, the campaign features a new online interactive map of Australia, with almost 30,000 images and stories submitted by the Australian people.
While there will also be a glossy television commercial, questions are being asked about the viability of one of Australia's most iconic destinations - Sydney's Opera House.
"There's nothing like it is there," the ad says."Sun, Surf, cuddly marsupials.... and the Opera House. There's nothing like a sunrise, the first wave of the day".
The new Tourism Australia campaign is the result of a new approach relying on interactive digital media technology... a high tech post card from 30,000 entries, posted online by Australian holiday makers.
Tourism Australia Managing Director Andrew McEvoy says Tourism Australia has budgeted $150 million over the next three years for a campaign they hope will be more successful and more enduring than their last: "Where the Bloody Hell Are You?".
The next step is to encourage overseas visitors to send in their photos and stories to trigger a viral marketing campaign.
The focus remains on what is unique and iconic about Australia, but managers of the Opera House, dropped a bomb shell today, warning a funding shortfall could force the building's permanent closure.
The Opera House receives about two million guests a year but a damning internal report says their cash crisis is so bad performers lives are at risk from ancient stage machinery.
The report calls for an urgent $50 million refit, staff redundancies and higher ticket prices if the Opera House is remain a viable tourist destination.
Communities New South Wales Director General Carol Mills played down the revelation but admits there is room for improvement.
"We have done a risk assessment of all the equipment and found that it is either at medium or low risk and we'll have a program completed by the latter part of this year to ensure that all of the key areas are at low risk," Communities NSW Director General Carol Mills said.
