(Wall Street Journal) — Oprah Winfrey spent this week helping to sell Australia to the world as the country looks for new ways to stem a sharp fall in tourism at a time when the strength of its currency makes it an increasingly unaffordable destination. Outbound travelers now exceed arrivals by roughly 1.2 million a year, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, with the 20% appreciation of the Australian dollar since the middle of the year against the U.S. dollar blamed as the biggest turnoff for tourists from Europe and the U.S. The Australian government has invested three million Australian dollars (US$2.9 million) to host Ms. Winfrey and her entourage, including 200 support staff and 18 tons of filming equipment, to shoot a several episodes of her top-rated talk show in the country. The country’s flag carrier, Qantas Airways Ltd., provided the flights from the U.S. and within Australia.
Comment Disclaimer: Comments that contain profane or derogatory language, video links or exceed 200 words will require approval by a moderator before appearing in the comment section. XOXO-MN
