Canadians seem to love Australia and Air Canada, Air New Zealand and Qantas are certainly doing their part to encourage the affair by providing increased airlift. Air Canada’s Vancouver to Brisbane flight launched this past summer has been particularly successful and teamed with Tourism Australia’s current marketing campaign Australia has seen a substantial increase in visitors from this market. Oh, and did we forget to mention Chris Hemsworth?

Visitor arrivals for the 12 months through July 2016 are up 1.7 percent to 144,500 visitors and arrivals for the month of July 2016 alone are up an astonishing 17.3 percent to 9,500 visitors.Canada is ranked at 13th place globally in Australian visitation and leisure arrivals are up three percent year over year.Best of all (as far as Australia is concerned) we’re spending money. The total visitor spend to June 2016 was also up three percent to $839 million.
Tourism Australia’s latest campaign is focused on some of the country’s key competitive advantages. About 70 percent of international visitors enjoy an aquatic or coastal experience as part of their trip to Australia, whether they’re scuba diving or going to the beach or enjoying the natural beauty of the remote coastal areas - and the campaign highlights these aspects.With popular, and hunky, Australian actor Chris Hemsworth taking on a new and different role as Tourism Australia’s global ambassador, the campaign features over a dozen distinct experiences representing every Australian state and territory.These include: a helicopter ride over the 12 Apostles; swimming in Sydney Harbour; snorkelling 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.
Hemsworth said, “I have always been so proud to be Australian and it’s a pretty special feeling knowing that I will have a role in promoting my country to the world and encouraging more people to come down under and experience our amazing beaches and landscapes for themselves.”Indigenous tourism experiences are international tourism drivers with 14 percent of international visitors – usually from the UK, North America and Europe - participating in an Aboriginal cultural experience during their visit.Australia also continues to build on its food and wine credentials working on a TV show with leading chefs and using successful promotional concepts such as pop-up restaurants as well as a variety of media and consumer events.
Social media is playing a large role in the campaign with Facebook, YouTube and Twitter reaching huge numbers of potential travellers. A heavy emphasis on storytelling is showcased in broadcast/video and print and online bloggers are spreading the message that Australia is inviting Canadians (and the world) to experience the Australian way of life.‘There’s nothing like Australia’ says the campaign – ‘it’s a place you feel’ - and judging from the response – Canadians feel it’s well worth the trip!