A Day in the Life of a Planet – #helloworldRELAY

For 12 hours on September 27, nominated travellers from around the world took followers on a visual journey to showcase the many wonders of our planet, its cultures, people and cities along with all its natural beauty, when the world first Instagram relay, #helloworldRELAY celebrated World Tourism Day. Did you get involved?  We would love to see your photographs from World Tourism Day – please share them and tag #vacationgoddess and #vgloves.

75 Instagram influencers from around the world partnered with over 60 countries and 80 destinations to capture inspiring images all on the same date and, followers were treated with some seriously jaw-dropping and inspiring imagery – nature, mouth-watering food, world cities and its people.

The relay began in Samoa, the Western most point of the planet at sunrise, and finished at sunset twenty-four hours later in the Cook Islands, with another seventy-five destinations in between.

Australia along with Malaysia with its gorgeous scenery and vibrant culture provided some of the highlight photographs. Tourism Malaysia even collaborated with one of Australia’s favorite Instagrammers, Annette Widitz to showcase its countries unbeatable scenery and vibrant culture.

Annette Widitz is a Sydney girl with a passion for photography and all things travel. Her ability to capture the beauty of a country in photographs is appreciated by more 33k followers and during her participation she did a 12-hour tour of Malaysia beginning in one of the world’s top shopping cities, Kuala Lumpur. Later she travelled to Malaysia’s food capital, Penang before she ended her adventure in Sabah where she admired the majestic, Kota Kinabalu.

Kim Portrate, Chief Marketing Officer at helloworld, was proud to lead a movement that created social media history. “There are approximately five million Australians checking into Instagram every month with 70% of those users active every day. The #helloworldRELAY was a unique opportunity to inspire travellers and show them parts of the world they may have never seen before, in a way they have never experienced and it showcased the expertise of helloworld agents and the exciting itineraries they can create.”

All Australian States and Territories participated and wine tasting, whale-watching, the countries vibrant cities and its dusty outback all featured.  All the images that make Australia so extraordinary were shared right across the globe during the relay.

State tourism bodies along with Australia’s leading luxury coach tour operator, AAT Kings crafted bespoke itineraries for the renowned instagrammers to experience over 12 hours.

Some of the highlights that were anticipated from each state and territory included:

New South Wales

New South Wales – Byron Bay at Cape Byron, the country’s most easterly point and the place where day breaks first in Australia. Sydney's sparkling Harbour, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House.

Queensland

With backdrops such as the 2300km long, breathtaking beauty of the Great Barrier Reef, pristine white sandy beaches, world class luxury resort islands and into Tropical North Queensland, the only place where two world heritage wonders meet: The Great Barrier Reef and the tropical rainforest wilderness of the Daintree National Park.

Northern Territory

Top end or red centre? Water or dust? Crocodiles or culture? Spiritual or physical? With a reputation for being a vast and apparently empty expanse the itinerary for this location will be anything but.

Western Australia

Western Australia is the largest and most diverse state in Australia, from the Margaret River Wine Region in the south; to the underwater wonderland of Ningaloo Reef; and one of the world’s last true wilderness areas in the north. Tourism Western Australia will shine a spotlight on the epic Kimberley region – a land of breathtaking contrasts covering billions of years in history and over one million square kilometres.

South Australia

From Adelaide’s innovative eateries to vineyard restaurants and beachside cafes, Southern Australia will be celebrating the with an itinerary that will include famed wineries; pristine coastlines, fine dining experiences and wildlife.

Victoria

Onto the state that is geographically the smallest on Australia’s mainland but certainly not insignificant when it comes to the cities it houses, the people who reside there and the art and culture that it exudes. Victoria is Australia’s most densely populated state and home to Melbourne, Australia’s second largest city.

Australia’s Island State – Tasmania

In many ways this island really epitomises the essence of Australia's destination appeal – raw, unspoilt natural beauty, incredible fresh food, wine and culinary experiences, all shared by warm and passionate people.

Goddess Tip from Will Patino :

Budding travel photographers or emerging instagrammers, here are some tips from Instagrammer, Will Patino for taking the perfect Instagram shot:

  • Good eye beats expensive equipment: Great photos can be taken with iPhones or with expensive camera gear. It's more important to make time to get the perfect shot lined up and be patient waiting for perfect conditions
  • Think about creating new viewpoints: Look for new locations to take the shot from a different perspective. Lie down on the grass, get above the action on a verandah, or shoot through a screen
  • Crop instead of zooming. Smartphones and edit software allow photographers to alter images without losing quality. If you're far from your subject, take the shot and crop later
  • Look for the light. Crisp photos are taken in bright light. Look for the light and make it's the star of your photo. Don't forget capturing shadows can be just as dramatic.

The purpose of World Tourism Day in 2015 was to raise awareness of the important impact tourism has on countries and communities around the world and its potential as a force for good, creating a better world for all.

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