It is a well known fact that the British Royal Family have been monumental in boosting tourism in the United Kingdom. In the past few years, events such as the Royal Wedding and The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee have generated millions of pounds of revenue for the country. But it doesn’t stop there. The Royal Family’s influence now extends all the way to Australia, where tourism is booming thanks to ‘The Cambridge Effect’.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Sydney, while on tour earlier this year.
It seems that The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s recent tour Down Under, along with their son, Prince George, has sparked a massive interest in Australia and New Zealand among royal fans, who are eager to follow the path taken by the second in-line to the throne and his family. So, when the royal couple paid a visit to some of the country’s most iconic landmarks, including Uluru, Blue Mountains, and the Sydney Opera House, and when Prince George unveiled the bilby enclosure at Taronga Zoo, they were all in fact doing a great service to their host country.
Travel agencies in Australia and the UK have reported a 120% increase from last year in bookings and inquiries about flights and hotels in Australia, especially from British travelers. Denise Bartlett, of Public Relations UK, chalked the increase in international interest up to the extensive media coverage of the country during the Royal Tour, adding that “It’s great for tourism in both New Zealand and Australia to see a significant increase in hotel searches from the UK following William and Kate’s visit.”
The scenic Uluru is one of the sites expected to receive an influx of visitors following The Duke and Duchess’s visit.
The managing director of Tourism Australia, John O’Sullivan, considers the famous family’s visit to be priceless. He said: “I have no doubt that we’re going to see a positive impact on visitor arrivals, especially from the US and UK, two of our largest volume and most valuable traditional markets.”
Even Australia’s neighbour, New Zealand, has benefitted enormously. A country that once relied on its spectacular landscapes and connections to The Lord of the Rings movies to attract tourists is now seeing an increase of over 110% in flight searches. “Never mind Lord of the Rings,” jokes Ben Rosier, a spokesperson for cheapflights.co.uk. “This time it’s all about Lord of the Kings!”
This sort of royal frenzy Down Under was last seen in 2013, when the Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark came to Australia on an official visit.
photo credits: Lawrence Champness @champy, @702Sydney and Richard.Fisher via photopin cc
