Oprah, watch out: Canada travel was out of the green room and into the spotlight for the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC)’s recent industry roadshow in Australia. Canada Corroboree 2012 was themed around TV talk shows, with interviewers quizzing their industry guests on what their destination or experience offered Aussie consumers.

There’s barely a pause for breath on CTC’s five-city, 11-day expedition around Australia. The roadshow got into top gear straightaway in Perth on Jan. 31 before heading east for Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane, ending in Sydney on Feb. 10. In all, 850-plus Australian travel agents and tour operators stopped by to learn more about what Canada has to offer. To sharpen eyes and ears, there were three prize trips to Canada to be won by agents in each city.

CTC’s Signature Experiences Collection^® had a starring role during Corroboree 2012. Already garnering attention Down Under with the launch of CTC’s spring/summer campaign and global marketing platform, the program had official Aussie launches during the two media lunches in Melbourne (Vue de Monde) and Sydney (Museum of Contemporary Art). Also present was Vancouver, BC, chanteuse Ann Vriend, who entertained the 90-strong audiences with her unique blend of country/blues/gospel and pop.

Sydney was also the venue for a one-day B2B event for more than 20 key Aussie wholesalers and Canadian partners. Tour operators and product specialists got down to work over a series of rapid, speed-dating-style one-to-one appointments.

“Corroboree is a great way for the Canadian industry to share their stories and amazing experiences first-hand with agents,” says Donna Campbell, CTC’s general sales agent in Australia. “The Signature Experiences Collection^® is starting to get many Australian agents and media reps to look at Canada in a different way and we’ll look to build on that throughout the year.”