Australia Welcomes Tourists in Aftermath of Wildfires
Wildfires have been raging throughout Australia for several weeks now, though fortunately, they are fewer in number now as many of them were extinguished by recent storms. Unfortunately, the timing of the wildfires coincided with the country’s tourism season, meaning that tourism operators have lost a tremendous amount of money as tourists have canceled their trips due to the ongoing natural disaster. As such, tourism agencies have intensified their efforts to attract tourists to various parts of the country by showing that many areas of the country were unaffected by the fires, and retain the attractions that have drawn tremendous crowds of tourists in the past. Tourism helps to stimulate the local economy, which is essential as Australia recovers from an environmental and economic disaster. It’s most helpful to visit the areas that have been hit hardest by the fires, which include Victoria and New South Wales.
CNN has compiled a list of the top cities to visit in Australia for 2020. At the top of their list is Canberra, the Australian capital. Canberra isn’t generally considered a top tourist destination, but the city has many local attractions that can appeal to vacationers, including the Parliament House, the Australian War Memorial, and the National Gallery. By visiting these landmark locations, tourists can learn about the history of Australia and even witness Australian politics in action at the country’s primary law-making body. The National Gallery seeks to preserve the culture and lifestyle of Australia’s indigenous people, as well as art from around the country and the world. The National Gallery hosts a number of different events throughout the year and is a great place to visit during a vacation in Australia.
A place in Australia that is a favorite spot for relaxation among tourists is Batemans Bay in New South Wales, where visitors can enjoy the view where the Clyde River meets the sea and enjoy outdoor meals at local eateries. Batemans Bay is home to Birdland Animal Park, a nature preserve where tourists can engage with local wildlife, including baby wombats. Recently, Birdland Animal Park has seen a sharp decline in visitors, and the business is struggling in a way that it hasn’t in twenty-six years, so the park would surely appreciate an influx of tourists from around the world. The park has not seen any damage from the wildfires, though the surrounding forests have, but locals expect these forests to start to regrow within a few months.
Those who are more interested in visiting the beach will enjoy Moruya, which is a short drive south from Batemans Bay. Here, visitors can board a seaplane with South Coast Seaplanes to view the beautiful continent from above, though these views are likely to contain dead forests blackened by wildfires. Also, visitors can fly over the nearby Montague Island and witness a fur seal colony from above.
Tyler Olhorst is a Contributing Editor at The National Digest based in New York. You can reach him at inquiries@thenationaldigest.com.