Overseas stars lure tourists Down Under in new push
Australia's Robert Irwin is among celebrities featured in a new tourism campaign. (HANDOUT/TOURISM AUSTRALIA) Credit: AAP
Australian celebrity Robert Irwin, English television cook Nigella Lawson and other international stars are tempting tourists to the land Down Under.
Shots of these celebrities set against iconic Australian landscapes are part of the federal government's newest tourism push to attract travellers from five countries.
Advertisements featuring Chinese actor Yosh Yu, Ms Lawson and Japanese comedian Abareru-kun will air in their home countries, while Steve Irwin's son will become the face of the American campaign and wellness advocate Sara Tendulkar will star in ads broadcast in India.
This $130 million push builds on Tourism Australia's Come and Say G'day campaign, which launched the lovable animated mascot Ruby the Roo.
"Traditionally tourism campaigns have leveraged one famous face across every market but for our latest campaign Ruby will be joined by well-known talent from five different markets to showcase personal lasting memories of a holiday to Australia," Tourism Australia managing director Phillipa Harrison said.
"These international stars combine with local talent ... to create bespoke invitations for five markets."
Since the resumption of international travel, the domestic tourism industry has grown with the number of international arrivals expected to reach a record 10 million in 2026 and 11.8 million in 2029.
More than 700,000 jobs and 360,000 Australian businesses depend on tourism.
The teaser for this campaign was first launched in July during the prime minister's trip to China.
Chinese travellers remain Australia's second biggest cohort of tourists behind New Zealand, figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show.
"Tourism is the lifeblood of so many communities right around the country and creates hundreds of thousands of jobs," Tourism Minister Don 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."
The advertisements will go live in China from August 7 on TV and online.
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