Image Credit: Mark Segal/Getty Images; Albert L. Ortega/PR PhotosThere was some surprise when it was announced that Aussie taxpayers would foot the bill, estimated at $3 million, for “Oprah’s Ultimate Australian Adventure.” That’s the eight-day journey Down Under on which Oprah Winfrey will take 300 of her most loyal viewers this December. They’ll see the sights, drink the wine, and shoot at least two episodes of The Oprah Winfrey Show in Sydney’s Opera House (dubbed “Oprah House” for that week). But the fact is: A tourism board does spend money on advertising to bring visitors into the country, and Winfrey filming her first trip — for a show seen by an estimated 40 million viewers in America and aired in roughly 145 countries — is a decent investment. At a press conference yesterday, federal tourism minister John Brown put it into perspective when he compared what has been dubbed “Project O” by some of the tourism officials who worked on the partnership in secret for months to a past campaign: “‘Where the bloody hell are you?‘ was a $180 million absolute disaster,” he said. “You couldn’t possibly quantify the success that you’re gonna get from this.” Aussie tourism officials consider it a coup — and it was their idea. “Tourism Australia approached us about a year ago with the idea to bring The Oprah Winfrey Show to Australia,” a rep for the show tells EW. “We were honored by their gracious invitation and look forward to showcasing their beautiful country to our viewers around the world.”
Now, how exactly do Australian citizens feel about the investment their federal and state governments are making? READ FULL STORY »
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