Tourism Australia rejects claims campaign ignores Victoria

Tourism Australia has rejected claims that its $250 million global marketing campaign "There's nothing like Australia" has ignored Victorian holiday destinations.

The tourism body's managing director Andrew McEvoy said Victoria features heavily in the campaign that was launched in Shanghai on Monday.

He said the Great Ocean Road and Melbourne (specifically the flames outside Crown Casino) are shown in versions of the broadcast ads and there are more than 20 more references to Victorian destinations in an app associated with the campaign and the website www.Australia.com.

"It is not the job of the broadcast ads to tell the total story of Australia but it is to give great impression of the country, which these ads do. Once people get an impression of the Australia and Victoria they can dig more deeply into the details."

Among other Victorian destinations, the campaign's app and web site contain links, videos or information to the Yarra Valley, Gippsland, Daylesford, and events such as the Melbourne grand prix and Australian tennis open.

Mr McEvoy said Tourism Australia is also working with state of territory tourism associations to leverage the most out of the campaign.

For example, Tourism Victoria, China Southern Airlines and Tourism Australia are about to launch into a jointly funded promotion in China that uses the new campaign ads, he said.

Tourism Australia and the state and territory tourism associations are also working together to train 25,000 travel agents globally to be specialists in Australia.

"There is no way Victoria or any other state is being left out," Mr McEvoy said.