New campaign to boost Indian tourism
The Morrison Government has thrown its support behind the ICC T20 World Cup being held in Australia next year, announcing a new campaign to promote the tournaments and Australia to cricket fans in India.
Federal Minister for Tourism Simon Birmingham said the $5 million campaign would 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.
"Australia stands ready to welcome the world to the ICC T20 World Cup tournaments, which are set to deliver significant benefits to our tourism industry and the broader economy," Minister Birmingham said.
"We know from research that major sporting events have far reaching impacts and 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.
"The Indian tourism market is currently worth $1.7 billion and is our fastest growing inbound tourism market, with visitation forecast to grow four-fold to reach nearly 1.2 million by 2035.
"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."
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 to nurturing our rich sporting culture," Minister Colbeck said.
"These 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.
"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.
"These events will also reaffirm Australia's reputation for delivering world-class sporting events and ensure we continue to be a sought-after destination among decision makers and event leaders within the global sporting industry.
"The benefits of sport more broadly are significant, with the sector estimated to deliver around $50 billion a year in direct economic, productivity and volunteering benefits, while also helping to grow businesses and to drive investment for Australia."
Initial activity will kick off in August when the tournament trophies travel to Tourism Australia's flagship trade event in India – Australia Marketplace in India – to generate excitement and support for the events among key trade and accredited travel agents.
The influx of fans from across the world for next year's T20 World Cups is expected to build on the positive local legacy of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, which was co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand and attracted approximately 100,000 international visitors to Australia alone."
Background on the tournaments
The ICC T20 World Cup 2020 will be contested across eight host cities, including Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Geelong, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.
The Women's T20 World Cup, featuring 10 teams and 23 matches, will open with a blockbuster clash between Australia and India at Sydney Showground Stadium on Friday 21 February and will culminate with its Final at the MCG on Sunday 8 March – International Women's Day – when Australia will have an opportunity to demonstrate its leadership in women's sport by setting a new world record for attendance at a women's sporting fixture.
The Men's T20 World Cup, featuring 16 teams and 45 matches, will run from 18 October to 15 November 2020 to an expected broadcast audience of to two billion.
More information on the ICC T20 World Cup 2020 is available at www.t20worldcup.com