CHENNAI: You could enjoy a glass of fine wine with gourmet food at the Yarra Valley wineries or take a romantic stroll hand-in-hand with your new life partner down the chic streets, which exude a touch of European charm. And if you are vacationing with your family, you could hit a few at the unique sand golfing courses or take a trip to the Panny’s Chocolate Factory and have a go at the lusciously sinful chocolate fountain. With such and many more tourist attractions to offer, Australia is becoming one of India’s favourite retreats.And it is interesting to note that as of June 2011, the international overnight visitation from India to the state of Victoria, especially, went up by 24.5 per cent, to a total of 62,500 people representing 41.6 percent of all Indian visitors (1,36,000) to Australia. Sixty per cent of this number accounts for those who travel Down Under for leisure. Victoria, the second smallest state in Australia, is known as the city of four seasons. A typical day there can start off with a shower, leading to a bit of sunshine as you enjoy a leisurely lunch at an outside café, ending with a calming breeze, rocking you to sleep at night. Ideally, one could spend a minimum of three nights at Victoria, which will give tourists ample time to explore the city and indulge in some tourist activities such as taking a drive along the Great Ocean Front, shopping and watching tasteful theatre or ski down a mountain top (if you choose to go between August and October)“We have an MoU with Singapore Airlines and various other joint-partnerships with others like Quantas. The two-way airfare will cost around `45,000 and we try to provide Indian tourists with travel packages,” says Celia Ho, Regional Manager — South and South East Asia, Tourism Victoria. So, you can dream of petting a penguin or hopping around with a kangaroo when you plan your next vacation. Who knows, maybe you can even be on the sets of Masterchef Australia and try out some of that accent you’ve grown to love!
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