Brett Lee Image Source: Reuters

Former Australian cricketer Brett Lee has joined Tourism Australia’s ‘Friends of Australia’ program, in an effort to help capture the growing Indian tourism market.

More than 70 Indian travel agents arrived in Melbourne this week to participate in a six-day India Mega Famil and Workshop (IMFW).

Mr Lee will welcome the delegates with a personalised tour of the Melbourne Cricket Ground and an exclusive dinner at the famous stadium where he will share details of his career highlights, according to Tourism Australia.

“India is a market that continues to deliver steady growth for Australian tourism and we are delighted to have someone of Brett Lee’s calibre to further raise the profile of Australia in India and to help us best align to our year 2020 target to secure higher visitor growth from this rising market,” Tourism Australia managing director Andrew McEvoy said.

“India has great long term potential for Australian tourism and we continue to support its development via our recently launched India Strategic 2020 Plan to grow the Indian visitor market to Australia to more than AU$2 billion and up to 300,000 potential annual visitors by the end of the decade.”

Although recently retired from international cricket, Brett Lee plays in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and has an established music foundation, Mewsic, in India.

“Brett Lee has a huge profile in India, but also possesses deep credibility by demonstrating a high level of engagement and embracing Indian culture, as a result of his stellar cricketing career and ambassadorial and charity work in country,” Mr McEvoy said.

As one of 160 ‘Friends of Australia’, Brett Lee emphasised his willingness to be a part of TA’s campaign.

“Having travelled to India some 60 plus times, I now look forward, as a Friend of Australia ambassador, to encouraging Indians to visit this wonderful country and experience all that Australia has to offer,” Mr Lee said.