Rishabh Pant and Sarah Todd join Visit Victoria to unveil the best Melbourne moments to Indian travellers

Mumbai: Considered by many Indian travellers as a bucket list item, today the Australian state of Victoria was on show as Visit Victoria held a press conference featuring Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant and MasterChef Australia star Sarah Todd.

“India is an important market for us. In year ending December 2019, we recorded 178,000 visitors with 47.3 per cent market share making Victoria the most popular Australian state out of India. This year, as visitors return to Australian shores, we are confident we will see a strong rebound in visitor numbers. As host of the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final, as well as being recently announced and the home of the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Victoria is the place to be for big events. We also offer nature, adventure, creativity, culture and amazing food and hospitality.”

Visit Victoria CEO Brendan McClements 

In October Melbourne will host two significant ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup matches at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) - the India vs Pakistan match on October 23 as well as the final on 13 November 2022.

“Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant said, “The MCG is a historic venue that has witnessed some of the best cricket played so far, by legends of the game. Emotions are always high when you play there and more so during the World Cup. It’s a venue that I as a cricketer always look forward to playing at.”

Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant

“What excites me most about Melbourne is the food and culture which has so many ethnic influences. Aside from Melbourne, I would love to explore the beauty and adventure of regional Victoria. It seems like a great getaway.”

Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant

While Melbourne is widely known as the sporting capital of Australia, it is also a melting pot of some of the most creative food cultures in the world. From its coffee culture to world-class restaurants and street food, there is always something interesting to explore.

“Melbourne is at the heart of the food culture in Australia. It’s all about championing local produce and adding your brand of creativity to it to bring out clean, elegant flavours.  It’s a perfect representation of my own cooking style and I am glad that it has been received so well here in India.”

MasterChef Australia star Sarah Todd 

While people travel to explore new countries and cultures, post pandemic travel has created a new breed of traveller who is craving for unique experiences.  According to Visit Victoria Chief Marketing Officer Shae Keenan, “People are approaching travel with renewed enthusiasm post pandemic. They are on the lookout for immersive travel experiences that let them unwind and connect with one other.”

During today’s event, Mr Pant recounted his favourite Melbourne moment, announcing a contest that will go live on the VisitMelbourne.com page this weekend to win a chance to experience Melbourne this cricket season.

He encouraged travellers to enter the competition by selecting the Melbourne moment they’d like to experience. To help inspire submissions Visit Victoria unveiled an art installation by Arthat which is a 3D anamorphic pixel art depicting the city’s iconic street locations.

The press meet was followed by a special one of its kind cricket inspired three course lunch menu curated by the very talented Sarah Todd, runner up of MasterChef Australia 2022.

For more information, please go to www.visitmelbourne.com

About Visit Victoria:

Visit Victoria is the State Government lead agency that capitalises on commercial opportunities in an increasingly competitive and dynamic global tourism market. The team informs, connects and partners with industry and the Victorian State Government to amplify Victoria's profile.

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