Robert Irwin Fronts Tourism Australia’s Revamped US Campaign

Tourism Australia is rolling out the next phase of its popular Come and say G’day campaign, featuring wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin—son of the late Steve Irwin. Irwin will star alongside the animated Ruby the Souvenir Kangaroo in a fresh series of ads designed with American travelers in mind.

Chris Allison, Tourism Australia’s Vice President for The Americas and New Zealand, said the updated campaign reflects a more tailored approach to different audiences. “Our new Come and say G’day campaign, starring Robert Irwin alongside Ruby the Souvenir Kangaroo, is a bespoke invitation to American travelers to visit Australia and experience a vacation that lasts a lifetime,” Allison explained. “The campaign creative has been tailored for cultural nuances and showcases the sort of tourism experiences American travelers are looking for.”

The move marks a shift from past tourism marketing initiatives, which typically leaned on a single celebrity to lead promotions worldwide. This new strategy highlights multiple unique personalities to better connect with specific markets, with Irwin serving as the recognizable voice for U.S. audiences.

For Irwin, the opportunity hits close to home. “I’m such a proud Aussie, so it’s a real honor to be working with Tourism Australia on the next chapter of the Come and say G’day campaign,” he said. “I’ve dedicated my life to protecting the natural world, so I’m excited for international travelers to experience our incredible wildlife and wild places. A trip to Australia is a vacation that will stay with you for a lifetime.”

The campaign’s 2.0 launch comes at a time when interest in traveling Down Under is booming. In the span of the past year, Australia has welcomed more than eight million international visitors, and tourism spend in the year leading up to March 2025 was $52.6 billion. More than 714,000 of those travelers originated in the United States, and they contributed $5 billion to the Australian economy. Not only are Americans visiting in greater numbers, but they’re also staying longer and spending more once they arrive.

Helping fuel that growth is a surge in flights. Major airlines have recently expanded capacity from New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston and Dallas, making the journey more accessible than ever.

Starting September 16, the Come and say G’day campaign will run across a wide range of platforms, from television and streaming services to billboards, radio, online video, social media and other digital channels. The goal is to keep Australia top-of-mind for travelers considering a big international getaway.

Tourism officials are optimistic about the future. Since global travel began its rebound in 2022, Australia’s visitor economy has been on a steady climb. According to projections from Austrade’s THRIVE 2030 strategy, international arrivals are expected to hit a record 10 million by 2026 and nearly 12 million by the end of the decade.

With Robert Irwin lending his voice—and passion for Australia’s wild places—to the campaign, Tourism Australia is betting that more Americans will be inspired to book that bucket-list trip and, as the tagline suggests, “Come and say G’day.”

This article originally appeared in TravelPulse.

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