The puntastic campaign, which invites tourists to experience the “informal” Aussie way of life, will be rolled out in 15 tourism markets over the next three years.

It was launched at the Sydney Opera House overnight by the actor, who is Tourism Australia’s global ambassador.

“We need to stand out from the crowd and find a unique selling point that sets us apart from our competitors,” federal tourism minister Simon Birmingham said.

“Philausophy aims to do this by not only encouraging people to book a flight to Australia and visit our incredible destinations, but go a step further and actually immerse themselves in the best of the Australian way of life.

“At its core, Philausophy, is about giving travellers from around the world a taste of what makes Australia such an enjoyable destination by shining a spotlight on the people, lifestyle and personality that make Australian experiences so memorable.”

Birmingham said Australia’s tourism industry is worth $143 billion and a “vital part of the economy”.

The campaign comes as part of $38 million investment and will use a 5,000 new images, a series of industry videos, social media content, a refresh of Australia.com and Australia.cn, and a book featuring Aussie icons.

Tourism Australia managing director Phillipa Harrison said: “Philausophy will be brought to life by our industry, because who better to talk about the Australian way of life than those very tourism operators who live it themselves every day.

“Not only will they be front and centre in the campaign, but they will be pivotal in ensuring its success by continuing to be the face of our country’s tourism offering to international travellers.”

She said 70% of international travellers believe Australians have a different perspective on life.