Virgin Atlantic launches special Melbourne Cup Promotion

With the exception of racehorses, one of the most popular attractions at last year's Melbourne Cup was the exclusive Virgin Atlantic / Virgin Mobile marquee, hosted by Sir Richard Branson and visited by numerous celebrities.

Now travel agents around Australia have an opportunity to join the elite in the Virgin enclosure at this year's Melbourne Cup through a new national promotion by Virgin Atlantic Airways.

Called "Get Your Backside Trackside", the one month promotion - commencing today - offers 20 opportunities for agents around Australia to win a day return trip to the Cup including rare Virgin tent tickets. There are three ways to qualify.

1. Sell the most Virgin Atlantic tickets for the period 25 September to 15 October - Economy or Upper Class. The top12 producers will win Cup tickets.

2. Sell just one Virgin Atlantic ticket - but tell Virgin a tale about two travel agents, and include the words "riding crop" "satin", "silk", "helmet", "stirrup", "length" and "champagne". Tastefully, of course. There are four tickets to be won in this category.

3. Hats are all the rage at the Melbourne Cup. So sell one Virgin Atlantic ticket and send the airline a picture of the silliest hat you can find. The four hats judged most extraordinary (ie: extraordinarily good or extraordinarily bad) will win Virgin marquee tickets for the entering agents.

"The Melbourne Cup is one of the most exciting and entertaining events on the Australian social calendar, and our promotion is equal to the task," said Ms Gia Acitelli, Virgin Atlantic's Sales and Marketing Manager, Australia and New Zealand.

"Simply sell seats on Virgin Atlantic, and meet our other themed requirements, and you could find yourself trackside at Flemington on 4 November with some major celebrities."