Australia Trade and Media Mission builds momentum for California tourism

Visit California recently led a delegation of California tourism partners to Sydney and Melbourne for the 2026 Australia Trade and Media Mission, a week of programming that strengthened relationships in one of the state's highest-value international markets and brought Visit California's partnership with the NFL to life for Australian trade, media and consumers.

Held Sept. 6–11, 2026, the mission brought together 35 California delegates representing destinations, attractions and hotels from across the state. The week culminated at the NFL's first regular-season game in Australia, featuring the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). As an official partner of the NFL in Australia and New Zealand, Visit California used the moment to put California at the center of the conversation, giving Australians a timely and culturally relevant reason to think about a trip to the Golden State.

The program itself combined business development with relationship building. On the trade side, delegates opened the week with a session at the Qantas campus on the Australian traveler and aviation landscape. They then joined California Exchange, a full day of one-on-one appointments with buyers including Flight Centre, Helloworld, Luxury Escapes and Expedia TAAP. The Ultimate Club California events in Sydney and Melbourne connected delegates with about 250 Australian travel advisors. A VIP Golden Hour mixer at the Sydney Opera House brought delegates together with senior tourism and airline leaders, and a Melbourne session with Helloworld focused on how California partners can grow demand across its network.

The media program included one-on-one meetings with Australian publications, a session with Mamamia on how its audience researches and chooses travel, and a Melbourne dinner with local journalists and creators featuring a menu developed with celebrity chef Curtis Stone. Delegates also met with Nine on content opportunities around the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and with Luxury Escapes on how travel storytelling translates into bookings.

Sport was woven through all of it. In Sydney, a harbor cruise launched the NFL partnership with content creators, introducing them to California through the lens of sport. A trade session on the power of fandom explored how sport can drive longer stays, road trips and visits to communities beyond gateway cities. In Melbourne, delegates joined a panel with Nova 100's Jase, Lauren & Clint, whose recent California road trip culminated at Super Bowl LX and generated an editorial reach of more than 10 million.

The partnership reached well beyond the delegation. In the weeks before the game, Visit California-sponsored ticket giveaways on Channel Seven and the Nova Network across Australia generated more than $400,000 in earned media value. During NFL week, branded vehicles, out-of-home placements and Netflix creative brought California to Melbourne's busiest locations. At the NFL Kickoff Festival, Visit California's three-day Ultimate Playground activation invited fans to play games, win prizes and enter for a chance to win a California road trip. On game day, Nova broadcast live from the entrance of the MCG, and California appeared on the stadium's big screen.

Trade and media guests from about 23 organizations, including Flight Centre Travel Group, Helloworld, Luxury Escapes, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, News.com.au and Escape, attended the game with the delegation, then joined the post-game Kick-On celebration supported by Brand USA.

Melbourne embraced the week with enthusiasm, even among fans new to the sport. That enthusiasm reinforced what research already shows: professional sporting events motivate Australian visitors. With Super Bowl LXI in Los Angeles in 2027 and LA28 ahead, sport offers a lasting way to keep California top of mind and turn fandom into longer, multi-region trips.