CANBERRA, June 8 (Xinhua) -- In the wake of Tropical Cyclone Debbie which ripped through Australia's northeast in March, the country on Thursday launched a campaign to "bring tourists back" to the battered region.
In late March this year, a Category 4 storm named Cyclone Debbie ripped through pristine parts of Queensland, before continuing south and causing major flooding in the southern parts of the state and in the northern parts of New South Wales.
The storm and subsequent flooding killed 12 people and caused hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of damage, crippling the region's vital tourism trade.
On Thursday, Trade Minister Steven Ciobo said the government had overnight launched one of the nation's largest tourism campaigns, which aims to lure international tourists to the tropical paradise which is northern Australia.
"More than 500 billboards showcasing the best of the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef went up in Paris last night," Ciobo said in a statement on Wednesday.
"This is the first phase of Tourism Australia's international campaign to assist the recovery of some of Queensland's most iconic tourism destinations following the impact of Cyclone Debbie."
The minister said they chose France as the first place to launch the campaign as it was Australia's 15th largest inbound market for tourists; Ciobo described the French as the "most prepared to travel far and wide throughout Australia" - to scenic places such as the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef.
"This campaign is part of Tourism Australia's broader work to attract more tourists to Australia. Australia is currently welcoming record numbers of international tourists, who are staying longer and spending more when they are here," Ciobo said on Thursday.
"The government knows tourism creates jobs and drives economic growth, which is why Tourism Australia continues to receive record funding.
"The government jointly funded a 10 million Australian dollar (7.5 million U.S. dollars) campaign to assist the recovery of the tourism industry following Cyclone Debbie."
