The visit was announced by Ellen DeGeneres and Nicole Kidman in an episode that aired in the United States and will be watched by an audience of more than three million people in the US and 16 million globally.
As part of the in-studio announcement, The Ellen DeGeneres Show audience members each received a free return flight on Qantas between the United States and Australia.
OK, so it's my birthday,” Ellen told the live audience, which is ironically Australia Day. “So, the best gift to give you all is, aah, a trip to Australia!”
Ellen, who is married to Portia de Rossi, is heading to Australia for the first time in March to shoot Swisse and Qantas sponsored segments for her show that will air in April.
The NSW government is promising a visit to Sydney by the daytime chat queen Ellen DeGeneres will bring generous returns. Qantas CEO Alan Joyce says the move is a “major coup” for Australia.
“This is a marketing opportunity that money can’t buy,” he said. “The US market grew last year by four per cent but the UK market declined and that is because we have been very active with some of these marketing initiatives in the US market.”
Watch her announcing the trip here: