Fed: US votes Australia 'dream destination' for 7th time
By Chris Herde
BRISBANE, Aug 25 AAP - Australia's role in the "coalition of the willing" may havehelped fuel Americans' dreams of taking a holiday down under.
Americans surveyed in the influential Harris Poll have voted Australia their dreamholiday destination, if cost was not an issue, for the seventh consecutive year.
Behind Australia came Italy and Britain.
Harris Interactive chairman Humphrey Taylor said the three nations were strong US alliesin the war against terrorism.
"The top three ideal vacation countries were each part of President (George W) Bush's'coalition of the willing' whose governments supported the invasion of Iraq," he said.
"The fourth destination preference, France, most emphatically, was not."
Countries which have had dramatic moves in the survey are New Zealand, which has jumpedfrom 13th to seventh while Canada, which has suffered because of its stance on Iraq andthe SARS crisis, slipped from third to 12th.
In the last financial year, 423,500 Americans arrived in Australia, and despite theSARS scare and war on Iraq it was only slightly down on 2001-02.
Australian Tourist Commission managing director Ken Boundy said recent events had changedAmericans' travel psyche.
He said an increasing number were looking for destinations which firstly offered asafe and welcoming stay, as well as a once in a lifetime experience.
"We know that Australia is on their wish list - we need to put Australia on their todo list," Mr Boundy said.
He said another reason for the continued popularity of Australia was the role of movieswhich had helped maintain a high level of awareness in the saturated US market.
"Movies which feature Australia play an important role in keeping our country top ofmind with the US consumer," Mr Boundy said.
"At the same time it is a highly cost-effective way of telling millions of people thatAustralia is a great place to visit."
AAP ch/sc/ldj/jlw
KEYWORD: TOURISM US
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