Brisbane Times: Cara Fanning
February 5, 2010
 
The company behind a new promotional film aimed at encouraging international students to come to Brisbane says it was not made in response to the negative publicity surrounding attacks on Indian students in Melbourne.

Brisbane Marketing used members of its international study program Study Brisbane to features in A Student's Day in Brisbane, which has recently been distributed overseas to countries including India.

The company is looking to shore up Brisbane's $2 billion international study industry, which has taken a battering in Victoria in the wake of violence against Indian students there and a very public slanging match between the Brumby government and Indian officials this week.

CEO John Aitken said the decision to make the film had been in the pipeline for some time and was simply "about showcasing Brisbane as a unique city that offers diverse qualities from its world-class education facilities, its enviable lifestyle combined with its friendly, welcoming and multicultural communities.”

"Brisbane Marketing produced and released the student promotional film as part of our ongoing digital marketing strategy," he said.

"The film was planned for production with Study Brisbane members over the past year to ensure Brisbane delivers a consistent message about Brisbane as a study destination."

However, Indian student ambassador for Brisbane Marketing Sukhmanjot Mann, who features in the film along with her colleagues from Germany and Hong Kong, said there could be no doubt it gave Brisbane "the edge" over other capital cities such as Melbourne because "Brisbane has not been in the news for any bad reasons."

"All of my friends were in Melbourne already. I’ve been to Melbourne. It’s like any other city. Brisbane is so different. You can take your own time to adjust to it," she said.

She admits the safety factor was another major drawcard.

"You need to be safe where you go," she said.

"Here if you have to go out anytime you don’t have to think twice.

"A friend of mine visited me some time back from Melbourne and we took her all over [the city]. And she’s like, ‘it’s so easy for you to get around’."

In Melbourne, she said her friends would not go to a nightclub or restaurant unless in a group.

Ms Mann, who has completed a post-graduate degree in business and is looking to continue studying here, said she believed the film would attract students interested in Australia, but who were unsure of the safety of Melbourne and Sydney.

Mr Aitken said Study Brisbane provided international students with a "local knowledge and a basic understanding of the safety precautions of living in Brisbane" through its website.

"Student safety will always be a priority for students and their families when they choose a place to study," he said.

Ms Mann said she also was attracted to the living standards and the high employment rate in Brisbane. And despite new figures revealing a bad start to the new year for train commuters, she rated public transport as "totally awesome."

International students are expected to pump $2.1 billion into Brisbane's economy this year.

Source: Brisbane Times

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