Tourism Western Australia has launched a major tourism campaign inspired by Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming feature film Australia to position Western Australia (WA) as the real star of the film and promote it as a ‘must visit’ destination.        Much of the highly anticipated epic with Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman was shot in WA’s Kimberley region and tells a story of romance, adventure and spiritual experiences which are at the very heart of a visit to WA.

The key Kimberley film locations include the Cockburn Range, El Questro Wilderness Park, Purnululu National Park, Digger’s Rest Station, Home Valley Station, the King George River and Falls and Carlton Hill Station - the location chosen as the home for Lady Sarah Ashley’s (Nicole Kidman’s character) mythical Faraway Downs Homestead.

 

The £250,000 campaign includes a new 30 second cinema advert, ‘Western Australia - The real star of Australia’, which will be shown before every screening of the film, when it hits screens across the UK on Boxing Day. This is being supported by online and PR activity including a dedicated microsite for both trade and consumers. The microsite provides an interactive map of all the filming locations, suggested itineraries and holiday offers as well as marketing and destination information for both the Kimberley region and the rest of WA.

 

In addition, Tourism Western Australia has partnered with Tourism NT (Australia’s Northern Territory) to create and promote a new movie-inspired route across the north-western corner of Australia, from Broome to Darwin, dubbed ‘The Australia Way’.

The marketing campaign is part of Tourism Western Australia’s aim to increase awareness of the unique experiences on offer in WA and encourage visitors to explore all corners of the state. Currently only 20% of visitors spend time outside of the capital, Perth, despite improving accessibility and the number of diverse, beautiful and unspoilt getaways on offer. The campaign is also aimed at increasing WA’s share of visitors to Australia, which currently accounts for 25% of all UK arrivals in Australia.

 

Tourism Western Australia UK marketing manager Christie Lord commented: “When the film is released later this month, there is no doubt the eyes of the world will be on WA and the Kimberley, where the film was largely shot.

 

“This is a unique opportunity and we want to make sure that film-goers who are inspired to visit Australia know that it’s actually WA’s stunning landscapes and outback adventure they are moved by. That’s why the campaign positions the Kimberley area of WA as the ‘real star’ of Australia.

 

“In current conditions the need to be targeted is even more important, we believe by engaging film-goers and maximising the enormous exposure the film offers, the campaign will create significant tourism benefits for Western Australia.”

 

WA continues to be a growing tourist destination, and in the last year 165,000 people from the UK travelled to the state, spending a total $292 million (£129 million), an increase of 19% on 2005*. WA also has the longest average stay of any Australian state, with international visitors holidaying for an average 28 nights in WA and spending on average $2,538 (£1,128) per visitor - also the highest figure of any state.

The advertising campaign will continue until Spring 2009. The ‘Real Star’ advert was created by Marketforce in Australia. MediaCom is Tourism Western Australia’s media planning agency in the UK. To view the campaign online visit www.westernaustralia.com/Kimberley

 

‘Australia’ the movie opens in cinemas across the country on December 26
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