By Rama Gaind.
Hamilton Island.
The countdown is on in earnest for a half-price flight sale to some travel destinations in Australia from 1 April. The sale, which ends on 31 July, is part of the government’s plan to help the ailing tourism industry. Travel dates for the half-price fares are between May and September 2021.
Qantas, Virgin Australia and Jetstar are on board to sell tickets at half price, with other smaller operators, perhaps, opting in on the serviced routes chosen by the government.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the Federal Government’s $1.2 billion support package was designed to deliver “a rush of nearly 800,000 tourists to regions hit hard by border closures”. Around 800,000 half-price airline tickets are being made available as part of this assistance pack.
After all that’s happened this past year, Australians deserve a holiday – and a happy one at that. More than ever now, it’s true when they say ‘there’s never been a better time to be innovative in our own backyard’.
The time is right to turn your dream trip into reality as Australia is still the safe and unforgettable destination it always has been. The aim is to get Australians travelling safely across the country to provide a much-needed boost to tourism businesses and operators. Do get on planes and spend in our cities or tourism regions.
Darwin skyline.
Try something new, and if you are in a position to do so, consider booking a holiday to a destination within Australia that you’ve never been to. Promotional packages aim to get Australians travelling differently, urging them to start ticking destinations off their holiday bucket list or heading interstate for a trip of a lifetime.
There’s a lot to see and do in each destination including the Gold Coast, Cairns, the Whitsundays and Mackay region (Proserpine and Hamilton Island), the Sunshine Coast, Lasseter and Alice Springs, Launceston, Devonport and Burnie, Broome, Avalon, Merimbula and Kangaroo Island. Some other city highlights include Perth, Adelaide and Darwin.
Musical treat
According to Oscar Wilde, the theatre is the “greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being”.
Spoilt for choice in the Whitsundays.
So, turn the spotlight on Sydney and Melbourne and take a playcation and fill your days with culture and merriment. Among the melodic distractions on offer in Sydney are Hamilton at the Sydney Lyric Theatre. This Australian production is the first worldwide production to reopen since theatres were shut down globally due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
An inspiring tale of sisterhood and true love set in the icy kingdom of Arendelle, Frozen ― The Musical features songs from the original film plus an expanded score with a dozen new numbers. It’s on at the Capitol Theatre until 2 May.
Performances of Magic Mike Live are currently in Sydney until 4 April 2021, before opening at Melbourne’s Arcadia from 8 June–6 August.
Melbourne audiences can watch 1980s musical Chess, created by Tim Rice, at the Regent Theatre for one day only on 24 April 2021.
Kangaroo Island.
Friends: The Musical Parody is at the Comedy Theatre in Melbourne from 16–19 June 2021 before transferring to Brisbane, Parramatta, Adelaide and Perth.
Moulin Rouge: The Musical, based on Baz Luhrmann’s glamourous movie, will have its Australian premiere in August 2021 at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne.
The Sydney Opera House also has some live performances of La Traviata on Sydney Harbour during April and The Loves of Apollo & Dafne in May.
With international borders expected to remain closed for the foreseeable future, the options to holiday Down Under offer endless choice … and nothing’s a better fit if you love Australia, travelling and adventure.
Get ready to pack your bags because holidays – cheaper than we have known them for quite some time – will soon be within our reach. Best of all, you won’t need your passport!
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