The Herald Sun has made public what even former Australian Tourism Minister did not know : Oprah Winfrey’s visit down under last year was costly and the taxpayers had to pay a big price, literally.

After six months of fighting the government using the Freedom for Information laws, The Herald Sun has finally been given access to the details of the expenses incurred by the Queen of Talk and her entourage during her three-day visit in Australia last year.

Jaws dropped when Oprah announced selected audience would be flown to Australia in December last year to celebrate the end of her show, The Oprah Winfrey Show.

But more jaws dropped when receipts were made public showing the astounding costs of expenses as Oprah, crew and selected audience toured Australia late last year.

And the Herald Sun has noted that the tourism officials would do anything at all cost to ensure that the queen of talk would come, stay and leave Down Under all smiles. A visit that cost Australian taxpayers a staggering amount of $650,000 during her three-day visit.

What did Aussie taxpayers stumped for?

According to the Herald Sun, the government spent for everything: dining, helicopter and balloon flights, visits to wineries, schmoozed at lavish parties and stay at the city's most luxurious hotels.

  • $12,000: for the advertising agency which put a video together showing a tram wrapped with Oprah artwork and a sixty-second hype clip that was meant to entice the queen of television to fly to Australia.
  • $78,828 : for rooms, dining, mini-bar, room service and even long-distance phone calls of Oprah’s entourage during their stay at The Rialto.
  • $60,000 : for chopper flights to the Twelve Apostles
  • $10,000: for hot air balloon trips
  • $14,000: for the visit to Domaine Chandon winery in the Yarra Valley.
  • $108,000 : for the farewell party with a private dinner at Block Arcade.
  • $30,700 : to fly 92 of Oprah's audience and 21 crew and staff from Sydney to Melbourne.
  • $80,000: plus welcome party - a $775-a-head event organised by Peter Jones Special Events for Oprah's audience guests and 49 others, including 19 Tourism Victoria staff
  • $16, 354: for the welcome gift of a Nicola Cerini tote bag ($12,915) with a journal ($2195) and Koko Black chocolates ($1244).

All these in hopes to strengthen Australia’s tourism industry. The Herald Sun revealed over the weekend however that the skyrocketing expenses had failed to serve its purpose since the number of tourists from the US have reportedly decreased by 0.8 per cent since Oprah's Ultimate Australian Adventure first aired in February.

The nagging question for everyone now is “Was it all worth it?”. Tell us what you think, leave your comments below.

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