More flights to more great Australia destinations. And tons of great product for agents to sell.

Tourism Australia officials put on a fine lunch event in Toronto on Tuesday, serving up PEI and BC oysters along with Australia wine and a heaping helping of good news about travel Down Under.

“With non-stop flights by Air Canada from Vancouver to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, it’s never been easier for Canadians to get to Australia. There are also some great deals out there, and wonderful product for agents to promote to their clients,” said Jane Whitehead, Vice President, The Americas, Tourism Australia.

“Some 186,000 Canadians have visited Australia in the last year,” Whitehead said. “And there are 17 flights a week between the two countries.”

Canadian visits to Australia are up 8% in the past year, she told TravelPulse Canada.

Whitehead said agents and travel advisors have a remarkable range of offers they can put in front of their clients; everything from private tours of the famed Sydney Opera House where you can actually go on stage, to aboriginal experiences in the Outback, which to me has always seemed the essence of the country and its spiritual heart.

Whitehead said Tourism Australia has partnered with the industry to develop Signature Experiences of Australia, a series of programs that deliver “unique and authentic experiences” that range from wildlife journeys to ultimate winery experiences and great walks on some of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. Another great offering are the Luxury Lodges of Australia, a collection of remarkable, independent luxury lodges and camps scattered from one end of the country to the other, including Tasmania and Western Australia.

Yet another product for agents to consider are the Ultimate Winery Experiences of Australia, where visitors can do barrel or private tastings, tour vineyards and taste great food along with excellent Aussie wines. The Barossa Valley of South Australia might be the best known area for wines, but there also are excellent wineries in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales and in Victoria’s Yarra Valley. The Margaret River region in Western Australia is growing in stature every year, while Tasmania is famous for Pinot Noir and other wines that like a kiss of cool air now and then.

Whitehead said she was recently in Western Australia and loved the drive between Perth and the Margaret River wine region. She also said Western Australia’s Ningaloo Reef is a marvel, where folks can snorkel or scuba dive on a reef that’s just a few feet from the beach and also can experience swimming with massive, gentle whale sharks.

Air Canada officials said the airline flies daily on a year-round basis between Vancouver and Sydney on a 300-seat Boeing 777-200LR. They also have Vancouver-Melbourne diirect flights up to four times a week on a year-round basis on a 298-seat Boeing 787-9. Air Canada also flies between Vancouver and Brisbane on a year-round basis on a 255-seat Boeing 787-8.

Airline officials said Air Canada has increased its seat capacity to Australia by more than 140% since 2015.