Australia Tops US ‘Dream Destination’ List

Is topping a list of ‘dream destinations’ a good thing? On the one hand, you’d appear as an idyllic destination, a place to which people would ideally love to travel. On the other hand, you’d appear as an idyllic destination, a place to which people couldn’t travel.

Regardless of its perception, or misperception, as a pipe-dream destination, the country’s position at the top of a list of dream vacation spots for clients of US travel agents would still bring a smile to the faces of Australian tourism authorities.

According to a survey conducted by North America’s largest travel agency franchisor – Travel Leaders Group – of its owners, managers and agents, Australia was chosen as the destination clients would most love to visit – if money were no object.

With agents allowed to choose up to three destinations each, Australia garnered 47 percent of votes, followed by Bora Bora (26 percent), world cruising (20 percent), Tahiti and Italy (17 percent each). 

Other dream destinations of note included Antarctica (12th place), which earned 9.5 percent of votes, and the Galapagos Islands (13th place), which scored just over six percent of votes.  

The disparity between realistic and (sometimes) unattainable, but desired, destinations is evidenced by France’s position on the list. A constant among US travellers’ top five international vacation spots, the European nation ranks a relatively lowly 16th position on the dream destination list, with just 3.5 percent of votes.

(Source: eTravelblackboard)

Ellen DeGeneres Taking Talk Show to Australia in March

Spunky talk show host Ellen DeGeneres will take The Ellen DeGeneres Show to Melbourne and Sydney this March to film several segments that will air to her global audience in April

Oprah’s “Ultimate Australian Adventure” may not have initially driven tourists Down Under in the high numbers predicted by Tourism Australia (the situation has since improved), but it appears that her travels did inspire another US television personality to visit the country.

Spunky talk show host Ellen DeGeneres will take The Ellen DeGeneres Show to Melbourne and Sydney this March to film several segments that will air to her global audience in April.

The visit, announced by the 13-time Emmy Award winner during the taping of her January 11segment, will be co-sponsored by Australian vitamin company Swisse Wellness and Qantas Airways. Swisse will launch 15 of its most popular products in Walgreens stores across the US next month as part of its global expansion initiative.

“Ellen represents our healthy and happy culture and celebrates life every day – key pillars of our wonderful Australian company,” said Swisse Wellness CEO Radek Sali in a company statement.

“There is no doubt bringing Ellen to Australia and signing Australia’s own Nicole Kidman as the global face of our brand will go down in history as watershed moments for our company. It is a benchmark way to launch our brand globally.”

Kidman, who also appeared on the show that day, urged Ellen to add the outback town of Kununurra, Western Australia – where Kidman’s film Australia was shot – to her list of destinations.

Though Ellen fans will not accompany her on the trip, the 400-person studio audience present during the segment’s taping received an airline ticket from Qantas for travel to Sydney or Melbourne anytime in the next 12 months, with six nights’ accommodation at a four-star hotel included. (Turns out Ellen’s birthday is on Australia Day and she felt everyone deserved a gift.)

Despite being married to Australian actress Portia de Rossi since 2008, Ellen has never visited Australia.

Aussies Choosing Melbourne Over Sydney

More travellers may have been booking hotels in Sydney over the Christmas holidays, but ultimately Melbourne is the preferred holiday destination among Australians.

According to the latest Roy Morgan Holiday Tracking Survey, 22 percent of Australians said they want to take a holiday in Melbourne over the next two years, ahead of Sydney with only 12 percent.

The Gold Coast came in second favourite amongst Australian travellers, winning 18 percent with its surf and sun while the Sunshine Coast was favoured among 12 percent.

Roy Morgan international director of tourism, travel and leisure Jane Ianniello said Melbourne’s appeal has increased over the past decade, particularly among Australians under 30.

“The shopping, dining, nightlife, and special events all appeal to this younger age group,” Ms Ianniello explained.

How To... Keep Your Belongings Safe Whilst Travelling

When it comes to travelling, one of the most important tasks is to keep yourself and your belongings safe.

It’s something that you need to be aware of at all times and can make even the simplest trip stressful.

Here are a few tips on how to keep your cool, and your wallet, on your next trip:

Low

• Keep cash and credit cards as well as photocopies of important documents in different places
• Wear all bags on the opposite shoulder to the one facing the road to decrease the chance of someone snatching the bag as they are driving
• Be aware of your surroundings – if it looks unsafe, leave
• Lock the doors and windows of your hotel room

Moderate

• For long trips ensure that you have a spare credit card that you can activate if your original gets lost or stolen
• Be careful about taking money out of ATMs, if possible do it near banks or hotels where security will be a little better, or buy everything on card
• Put locks on your handbags
• Close the blinds at your hotel so outsiders don’t know if you’re there or not

Extreme

• Take down serial numbers of all electronic goods that you are travelling with
• Stash credit cards inside your shoes
• Sew extra pockets on the inside of your pants
• Hide valuables around the hotel room i.e. under the bed
• Put something big, like a chair, or fragile, like glass, at your front door when you go to sleep so that you can hear if someone tries to break in. Be careful with this one if you are a sleepwalker and be aware that this may not be the safest option in the event of a fire

What not to do

• Don’t use waist or neck wallets, not only are they uncomfortable, but they also put a huge target on your belly
• Don’t put your wallet or passport in your pocket; they’re called ‘pick pockets’ for a reason!
• Don’t look too ‘expensive’ or ‘touristy’ when walking around foreign streets
• Don’t leave valuables lying around your hotel room, at the very least put them under some clothes

Sydney Most Popular Australian Destination Over the Holidays

Sorry Melbourne, but according to leading travel and lifestyle site lastminute.com.au, Sydney was Australia’s most popular destination in terms of hotels bookings over the Christmas and New Year break.

Melbourne was however the second most popular with Queensland’s Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Brisbane, rounding off the top five.

Capital cities had the highest number of holiday bookings throughout the country, with the exception of Brisbane which was third after the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.

lastminute.com.au General Manager, Kirsty Labruniy is encouraging Australians to venture out into their own backyard and take advantage of a weekend getaway whilst the sun is still shining and the crowds subside, especially in late January and February.

Labruniy suggests that being quick on deals and taking a holiday over two destinations, if rooms are sold out for a part of your holiday plans, can help with having a last minute summer escape.

Alternatively, try a city break and do something that you have always wanted to do like see a movie in an outdoor cinema.

For ideas on beating the January blues, here are the top destinations booked over the Christmas and New Year break through lastminute.com.au:

New South Wales 

• Sydney
• Byron Bay
• Coffs Harbour
• South Coast
• Central Coast

Victoria 

• Melbourne
• Apollo Bay
• Torquay
• Lakes Entrance
• Cowes

Queensland 

• Gold Coast
• Sunshine Coast
• Brisbane
• Cairns
• Fraser Coast

South Australia 

• Adelaide
• Port Lincoln
• Mount Gambier
• Victor Harbor
• Rowland Flat

Western Australia

• Perth
• Margaret River
• Albany
• Broome
• Bunbury

Tasmania

• Hobart
• Launceston & Tamar Valley
• Strahan
• Cradle Mountain
• Port Arthur

(Source: e-Travel Blackboard)

Australian Open 2013 Melbourne - Tennis Day 1

THE 2013 Australian Open kicks off today at 11am AEDT. 

 We will be covering every winner, tantrum and controversy of the Open from 11am till the end of play every day for the next two weeks.

The weather is perfect today, with the bureau predicting sunny conditions with a top of 23 degrees.

FIVE MATCHES NOT TO MISS TODAY

Lleyton Hewitt (Aus) v 8-Janko Tipsarevic (Ser) As Pat Cash advised, pull up a comfy chair, put on the jug and settle in for a baseline dogfight tonight.

29-Sam Stosur (Aus) v Kai-Chen Chang (Tai) Centre-court intrigue starts with the second match as Sammy tries to bury her home demons.

Casey Dellacqua (Aus) v Madison Keys (US) The leftie, on another injury comeback, will need to be ready for the talented 17-year-old US wildcard.

32-Julien Benneteau (Fra) v Grigor Dimitrov (Bul)  A snapshot of the future with the emerging young Dimitrov against the in-form Frenchman.

Viktor Troicki (Ser) v 31-Radek Stepanek (Cze)
The tall Serb is one of those dangerous unseeded foes in what shapes as a marathon match.

And here's the main matches today:

ROD LAVER ARENA

From 11am:
Olga Puchkova (Rus) v 2-Maria Sharapova (Rus)
Kai-Chen Chang (Tpe) v 9-Sam Stosur (Aus)
1-Novak Djokovic (Srb) v Paul-Henri Mathieu (Fra)

From 7pm
Lleyton Hewitt (Aus) v 8-Janko Tipsarevic (Srb)
13-Ana Ivanovic (Srb) v Melinda Czink (Hun)

HISENSE ARENA

From 11am:
25-Venus Williams (USA) v Galina Voskoboeva (Kaz)
David Goffin (Bel) v 22-Fernando Verdasco (Spa)
15-Dominika Cibulkova (Svk) v Ashleigh Barty (Aus)

Not before 5pm
4-David Ferrer (Esp) v Olivier Rochus (Bel)

MARGARET COURT ARENA

From 11am:
6-Li Na (Chn) v Sesil Karatantcheva (Kaz)
Bojana Bobusic (Aus) v 4-Agnieszka Radwanska (Pol)
23-Mikhail Youzhny (Rus) v Matthew Ebden (Aus)
Casey Dellacqua (Aus) v Madison Keys (US)

From 7pm
Albert Ramos (Spa) v 28-Marcos Baghdatis (Cyp)

OTHER AUSSIES

Show Court 3
John Millman (Aus) v Tatsuma Ito (Jpn)

Court 6
Vesna Dolonc (Srb) v Olivia Rogowska (Aus)

Court 7
Kristyna Pliskova (Cze) v Sacha Jones (Aus)

Australia's ODI Top Three All Debutants - Melbourne One Day Match

Australia may have made a clean sweep of the recent Test series against Sri Lanka, but the one-dayers are almost certain to be close contests.

The first match of the five-game one-day series is at the MCG on Friday and you can be assured the Sri Lankans will put up a better fight than they displayed during the Test match at the same ground last month.

Australia triumphed by an innings and 201 runs on that occasion, but the Sri Lankans take the ODIs very seriously and should not be underestimated even though star batsmen Kumar Sangakkara is sidelined by injury.

Not only do Sri Lanka have the services of arguably the best limited overs paceman in the world in Lasith Malinga, but they also have an underrated array of spinners with which to test the Australians.

Malinga's form during the current KFC T20 Big Bash League has been first class and if he can replicate that in the one-dayers then he is sure to have the Australian openers on their toes.

We saw glimpses of Rangana Herath's best during the Test series, but he won't be the only spinner that Sri Lanka will unleash on the Australian team.

Keep a close eye on the unorthodox Ajantha Mendis as he bowls both leggies and offies with aplomb, while all-rounder Jeevan Mendis - who bowls some good leg breaks himself - is another Sri Lankan to watch.

Australia's squad for Melbourne looks rather inexperienced, with the names of Ricky Ponting, Mike Hussey, Shane Watson and Michael Clarke all missing through injury or retirement.
Clarke's absence paves the way for regular Twenty20 captain George Bailey to skipper the Australian side and he will need to rely on a group of players that are mainly yet to prove themselves in one-day cricket at international level.

There is no David Warner at the top of the order - he is being rested from the opening two matches of the series - with the in-form, but inexperienced trio of Aaron Finch, Phil Hughes and Usman Khawaja likely to spearhead Australia's top order.

Brad Haddin and David Hussey will add that bit of experience to the batting line-up, so there are certainly enough class players in the Australian side to make up for the absence of Clarke, Warner and Co.

It will be interesting to see if Australia opt for two left-arm quicks in their final XI for the opening match, with Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Johnson both having performed admirably in the recent Test series.

Clint McKay and Ben Cutting are the other pace options Bailey has at his disposal, while Tasmanian Xavier Doherty looks certain to feature as he is the only specialist spinner in the squad.

Only one of Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell look likely to play, with the duo battling it out for the same spot seemingly and the Victorian in the box seat given the match is at the MCG.

Expect both sides to include plenty of bowling options in the final XI given the new one-day rules that Australia will see for the first time this summer.

Australia squad: George Bailey (c), Ben Cutting, Xavier Doherty, Aaron Finch, Brad Haddin, Phil Hughes, David Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Usman Khawaja, Glenn Maxwell, Clint Mckay, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc

Sri Lanka squad: Mahela Jayawardene (c), Angelo Mathews (vc), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanne, Thisara Perera, Kushal Janith Perera, Jeevan Mendis, Nuwan Kulasekara, Ajantha Mendis, Lasith Malinga, Akila Dananjaya, Suranga Lakmal, Rangana Herath, Shaminda Eranga.