Australian authorities look at ICC T20 World Cup 2020 as opportunity to attract Indian tourists

Melbourne: Australia said it would start a USD 3.4 million (Aus$ 5 million) advertisement campaign next month to woo the Indian tourists ahead of next year’s ICC T20 World Cups for both men and women, the country’s authorities said on Monday. Australia will host the ICC T20 World Cups for both men and women in 2020. Australia’s Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said the new campaign would be used to increase Australia’s broader destination appeal in India. [caption id=“attachment_4365631” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File photo Indian T20I Team. Image credit: Twitter/@ICC[/caption] “India was already Australia’s fastest-growing visitor market, worth about 1.7 billion Australian dollars ($1.1 billion) each year and the new campaign will be used for marketing activities to drive visitation to both the women’s and men’s tournaments, as well as increase Australia’s broader destination appeal in India,” Birmingham said. Noting major sporting events have far-reaching impacts on tourism, he said: “We know from research that major sporting events are significant drivers of visitor demand, with 16 per cent of all international visitors attending a sporting or cultural event during their trip. These visitors are also known to stay longer and spend more than the average international traveller,” Birmingham said. The Sports sector is estimated to deliver around USD 50 billion a year in direct economic, productivity and volunteering benefits to Australia and also help to grow businesses and drive investments for the country. Highlighting the visitation forecast was to grow four-fold to reach nearly 1.2 million by 2035 from India, the minister said: “The recently released India Economic Strategy specifically identified the need for increased tourism marketing activity in India to ensure the market reaches its full potential.” “These World Cups represent the perfect opportunity to encourage Indians to book a flight to Australia to cheer on their team from cities and stadiums all over the country, while also taking the time to explore our wonderful tourism offerings,” he said. Minister for Sport Richard Colbeck said the ICC T20 World Cup 2020 would shine a spotlight on the nation as a global leader in sport and major events. “Securing major sporting events for Australia is crucial for nurturing our rich sporting culture,” Colbeck said, adding such elite events invigorate and unite the industry from the grassroots level up and encourage all Australians to get active and fit. “The ICC T20 World Cup 2020 is no exception. More than one million fans are expected to attend this significant event, which will be played as two standalone tournaments for women and men,’’ he said. “This will ensure that each tournament receives maximum exposure and will allow Australians the rare opportunity to enjoy world-class cricket right on their doorstep throughout the year; while continuing to advance cricket as a sport for women and girls and inspiring the next generation of kids across Australia to play cricket,’’ he added.