Tourism Australia Launches a New Campaign in Time for Australia Day

To kick off Australia Day, Tourism Australia launched a new brand campaign in New York City last night. Called “There’s Nothing Like Australia,” it includes expansive virtual tours of the country and a video narrated by Aussie residents Chris Hemsworth, best known for his role as Thor.

The new film campaign includes famous Australian sites such as: a helicopter ride over the 12 Apostles; swimming in Sydney Harbour; snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef; kayaking through Katherine Gorge; driving on the beach in South Australia; cycling around Lake Burley Griffin; sailing through the sparkling blue waters of Rottnest Island; and walking the recently launched Three Capes Track in Tasmania.

According to Tourism Australia there were 7.2 million short-term visitor arrivals into Australia in the 12 months ending September 2015, a rise of 7% over the previous year.

Chris Hemsworth, who recently moved his family to Byron Bay to live permanently, spoke about his love for Australia and his new property in a neighborhood predominantly focused on organic farming in a rustic hippie community on a fabulous beach.

One thing Hemsworth says he loves about Australia is the diversity in terrain, allowing one to drive a few miles to a mountainous region, or back to the beach or even to a big city. Hemsworth emphasized the extensive amount of endless activities and adventures available.

Chris Ingram from Tourism Australia said one of the common misconceptions about Australia is that it lacks good food and culture—when in fact travelers who tried the local food and wine rated it number two behind France.

Tourism Australia projects that both U.S. spending in Australia and visitor totals will increase within the next five years, despite the U.S. dollar being weaker than the Australian dollar.