Tourism Australia goes the celebrity route to lure more overseas visitors down under
Robert Irwin spearheads a star-studded, five-pronged $130m campaign to lure more visitors to Australia | WATCH
Tourism Australia will unleash the next $130m instalment of its Come and Say G’Day campaign on Monday, starring Robert Irwin in the hope of delivering a boost to inbound visitor numbers.
US and Chinese audiences will be the first to see the 60-second ads which are tailored specifically to each country, followed by the UK, India and Japan in the months ahead.
In the Chinese version, Mr Irwin is joined by local actor Yosh Yu, and domestic goddess Nigella Lawson will star in the advertisement shown in the UK.
Entrepreneur and philanthropist Sara Tendulkar is lined up to feature in the Indian ad, and media personality and comedian Abareru-kun in Japan.
Tourism Australia managing director Phillipa Harrison said it’s the first time the marketing body had created specific ads for each market to showcase the “personal lasting memories of an Australian holiday”.
Previously tourism campaigns had leveraged “one famous face” across every market, she said.
“These international stars combine with local talent including Australian actor Thomas Weatherall and Ruby the roo, to create bespoke invitations for five markets, and promote the sort of tourism experiences travellers are looking for,” Ms Harrison said.
For the US that was adventure and excitement, for China it was romance and unique experiences, and for the UK it was largely about Australia’s food and wine offering.
“This campaign is part of the enormous body of work Tourism Australia does in key markets around the world and is backed up by a whole range of programs that helps our Australian tourism industry grow their international business,” said Ms Harrison.
“With competition for the international tourism dollar greater than ever before, we are confident this second chapter of Come and say G’day will ensure Australia continues to remain front of mind for travellers looking to plan and book their next holiday.”
Last month, Tourism Research Australia pushed back the forecast recovery of international visitor numbers to 2026, after the slower than expected return of Chinese tourists in particular.
Bureau of Statistics data for May showed short term visitors from overseas were at 89 per cent of 2019 levels, and Chinese arrivals at 71 per cent.
In contrast the number of Australians heading overseas was at record levels, creating challenges for local tourism operators also faced with stagnant domestic travel growth.
Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell stressed the importance of international tourism to Australia, with the industry supporting 360,000 businesses employing more than 700,000 people.
He said the new campaign would take to $255m the total investment by the federal government in ‘Come and Say G’Day’ which he believed was money well spent.
“Tourism is the lifeblood of so many communities right around the country and creates hundreds of thousands of jobs,” Senator Farrell said.
“The previous campaign struck a chord with visitors, with Ruby the Roo bounding into the imagination of countless guests, encouraging them to book a holiday down under.
“I know this iteration, featuring popular talent like Robert Irwin, will be a smash.”
Mr Irwin, a wildlife conservationist and television host, joins a long list of Australian celebrities enlisted, with Chris Hemsworth, Rose Byrne, Lara Worthington and Paul Hogan among those to voice or front campaigns.
The total cost of Come and Say G’Day makes it the most expensive campaign ever delivered by Tourism Australia, eclipsing the $150m There’s Nothing Like Australia launched in 2010.
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Originally published as Tourism Australia goes the celebrity route to lure more overseas visitors down under
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