Tourism Australia has signed up Kylie Minogue for a big new UK push, its largest investment in the market for more than a decade.
Kylie was joined by comedian and presenter Adam Hills, as well as a host of Aussie stars, for Matesong ahead of Wednesday’s Queen Speech.
The tourist board bagged top billing ahead of the Queen’s annual 3pm message to the nation, urging Brits to consider an Australia holiday next year.
Tourism Australia said Matesong, the first overseas stage of its Philausophy campaign, was the largest investment it has made in the UK in more than a decade.
The skit features cameos cameo from Aussie sporting legends Shane Warne, Ash Barty and Ian Thorpe; model twins Zac and Jordan Stenmark; UK-born chef Darren Robertson from Three Blue Ducks; and the Aboriginal Comedy Allstars.
“Filming the Matesong video was literally a dream come true," said Kylie. "I’ve had the opportunity to see parts of the country I haven’t seen before, as well as to go home and revisit places that I know are beautiful.
“I’m such a proud Australian that I’ve spent most of my life travelling around the world sharing my stories of Australia with anyone who would listen, so I kind of feel like a walking tourism advert for Australia already.”
Australia’s Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said the campaign would reinvigorate Australia’s image in the UK, one of its largest and most important tourism markets.
"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," said Birmingham.
“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 $5,000 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 time 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."