Australia luring Californians with Aussie Week

G’day, mate: Don’t just talk about visiting the land down under. Do something about it. Australian tourism officials have launched a campaign to convince Californians that spending a week in Australia is just as practical as a week in Europe -- and cheaper. The campaign, called Aussie Week, lists the flight time as about the same but notes that costs are much lower than those a traveler will find in Europe.

Packages are available for as little as $1,699 per week, including round-trip flights and seven nights’ accommodations in hotels in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. Want additional information? Try (888) 736-2845 or www.aussieweek.com.