TOURISM Australia last month launched its biggest ever campaign targeting key South and South East Asian markets, with the aim of challenging traveller stereotypes of Australia as a tourism destination. The $10 million “Undiscover Australia” promotion debuted in Jakarta, Indonesia, with the aim of bridging the gap between intention to visit and actual arrivals by “providing a more multidimensional understanding of Australia’s high-quality experiences beyond the expected tourism icons”.
Tourism Australia managing director John O’Sullivan said the region’s proximity, emerging middle class, improving aviation capacity and increasingly competitive air fares presented enormous opportunities for Australian tourism. “One of the challenges we constantly face is that people from this region feel they know everything about us,” he said. “This campaign will shine a spotlight on some of our undiscovered and hidden holiday gems,” O’Sullivan added.
Different creative elements have been developed for the major markets of India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, with the aim of showing there is “much more to Australia than the typical stereotypes of koalas, kangaroos, the outback and well-known icons”.
By showing a different side of the country, Tourism Australia believes it will give high-value travellers in the region compelling new reasons to visit.
The campaign is also being supported by an “airline marketplace” which brings together multiple airlines and online travel agents to offer competitive airfares, particularly highlighting the proximity of some Australian destinations to Asia which makes it an ideal weekend getaway. Initially slated for a four month run, Undiscover Australia has potential to be extended to additional markets in the future.
