Brits urged to pack bags and head Down Under in latest tourism pitch

Australia’s pitch to get more Brits to head Down Under has kicked-off overnight, with Tourism Australia adding a little pop royalty to the Queen’s traditional Christmas Day Message in the United Kingdom.

Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said Tourism Australia’s $15 million UK campaign was launched with the exclusive airing of ‘Matesong’ on ITV immediately prior to the Queen’s Message.

“Matesong is performed by pop icon Kylie Minogue and comedian Adam Hills, who extend the hand of mateship that exists between Brits and Australians with a light hearted invitation to come Down Under,” Minister Birmingham said.

“A three-minute musical tribute, Matesong invites Brits to take a break from all the happenings with the UK and head Down Under to have a cracking time and experience all that Australia has to offer.

“Britain is such an important market for Australia – it’s our fourth largest market with more than 718,000 Brits spending $3.4 billion in Australia over the last year.

“British tourists traditionally stay longer and spend more than other international travellers - on average staying 32 nights in Australia and spending close to $5000 per trip.

“It’s no secret that the UK has been going through a period of uncertainty, and this has had an impact on outbound travel, including to Australia where numbers have dipped in recent months.

“It is crucial that we continue to drive growth from this market, both first timer travellers but also repeat visitors whose familiarity means that they are more likely to want to travel further and deeper into our regions.

“This campaign is about reminding Brits that Australia is a diverse and welcoming destination that still offers all the things that they love about our country, from our white sandy beaches to our native animals and our famous laidback outdoor lifestyle.

“That’s why destinations such as Byron Bay, the Whitsundays, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in the Northern Territory and Rottnest Island over in Western Australia feature in the campaign.”

Minister Birmingham said in an increasingly competitive global tourism industry Australia needs to stand-out from the crowd and that’s exactly what this campaign aims to achieve.

“This is the time of year when people discuss their holiday choices and hopefully this campaign will spark those conversations in Britain about Australia, and we can get more Brits not just talking about travelling here but actually booking a plane ticket,” Minister Birmingham said.

“Consumer research shows that the Australian character and our way of life sets us apart positively from other destinations, and these are strengths that Tourism Australia has sought to capture within this campaign.

“There’s also no doubt that Australia has a unique and longstanding relationship with the UK. This new campaign is all about leaning into that special relationship, and who better to do this than Australia’s princess of pop Kylie Minogue

“Kylie is an Aussie icon who is equally as loved by the Brits, and she is able to bring to life the warmth and charm of our country so well in the campaign against a backdrop of truly incredible Australian experiences.”

Assistant Minister for Regional Tourism Jonno Duniam said the campaign would help to encourage UK travellers to Australia and into the regions to spread the benefits across the country. 

“We know that 44 cents of every tourism dollar is now spent in the regions, confirming regional tourism’s importance to regional economies across Australia,” Assistant Minister Duniam said.

“The UK is one of our most important tourism markets, and this campaign will help to attract people to Australia and get a taste of the unique experiences and attractions we have to offer, especially across regional Australia.

“A strong tourism industry means more jobs, greater investment and better infrastructure in our regions, and the Philausophy campaign is just one of the actions we are taking to ensure our tourism sector continues to grow.”

The campaign ad also includes appearances from an array of Aussie A-listers including comedian Adam Hills as well as sports stars Ash Barty, Shane Warne and Ian Thorpe.

The UK is the first international market where a campaign built around Tourism Australia’s new “Philausophy” strategy will be rolled out in. In addition to shorter versions of Matesong the campaign will target Australian tourism messages across  British television networks, in cinemas and across digital and social media channels.

To convert consumer interest into actual bookings, the campaign will be supported by tailored travel itineraries available on Australia.com alongside a dedicated campaign ‘marketplace’ which will include partner airfares and holiday offers.