Chris, Liam Hemsworth holiday to Gympie boosts tourism

It was the weekend holiday with family and friends that locals say has put a much needed tourism spotlight on the Gympie region.

It may be a pretty impressive sunset, but this snap has done far more for the town of Gympie than receive a few likes on social media.

During a recent low-key family trip to Rainbow Beach north of Noosa, Liam and Chris Hemsworth, along with wife Elsa Pataky and a few friends and all the kids enjoyed a weekend in the sun lapping up all the local region has to over.

Hemsworth brothers Chris and Liam posted videos of themselves surfing sand dunes on their Instagrams while on holiday north of Noosa. Picture: Facebook.

Setting up camp with their caravan, enjoying a beach bonfire and going for a surf with his twin boys Tristan and Sasha, 6, Chris’ holiday shone much needed light on the coastal community that has struggled with a lack of tourism throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

But according to Facebook page Visit Gympie Region, a post from Liam Hemsworth showcasing a stunning sunset is what gave the region a big boost amid the pandemic. And it cost the local tourism page just $25 for the social media post.

According to the ABC,Liam Hemsworth posted a photo of a stunning sunset which the town’s tourism board used in a Facebook post showcasing a series of Gympie sunsets.

Chris and Liam Hemsworth with Elsa Pataky and friends Luke and April Munro at Rainbow Beach. Picture:Instagram/@aprilmun

Tourism development manager Andrew Saunders said the post has done more to publicise the region to potential tourists than any other campaign of its kind.

“The Hemsworths can choose to holiday anywhere in the world and yet this is one of their favourite destinations,” Mr Saunders told the ABC.

“[A photograph shared by them] is worth tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands [of dollars].

“Anything I could do, or any operator could do, is far, far less [effective] than a post [on Instagram] from those guys.”

The post on Facebook cost the Visit Gympie Facebook page $25 to post

With a combined following of 57 million, a post about a region by a celebrity like the Hemsworth brothers proves invaluable when trying to draw tourists into coastal regions which have been relatively untouched during the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Saunders admitted he did slide into Liam’s direct messages on Instagram, to thank him for the post and suggest a possible career change behind the camera.

“I sent him a direct message saying, ‘Thanks, it’s a wonderful picture’,” Mr Saunders said.

“I asked for the original for our use and I did say in the message if his current career didn’t work out, he could consider one as a photographer.”

Mr Saunders said since the visit to the region, Gympie and the surrounding towns had experienced a boost in visitors – despite Queensland borders hardening for Victorian and some NSW residents.

“The Hemsworth’s visiting and endorsing Rainbow Beach is not hurting at all,” Queensland Tourism Council CEO, Daniel Gschwind, said of their visit.

Local resident Rob Gough – known as the Ice Man – was lucky enough to sell an ice-cream to Thor himself, said it’s not the first time a famous face had visited the region.

“We’ve had a few famous people holidaying here throughout the years and people respect their privacy and Rainbow doesn’t haunt them, and they can just do what they need to do,” Mr Gough toldABC Radio Brisbane.

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Posted by The Ice Man on Sunday, 12 July 2020

Fellow Rainbow Beach resident and local butcher Scott Fitzgerald said the region relies on tourism more now than ever.

“We do rely on tourists … we need people coming through and going to Fraser Island as well,” he said.

Queensland has recently reopened their state border to most of the country, except the entire state of Victoria and most recently – all residents from Greater Sydney.