Tourism Australia Welcomes a Decade of Global Sporting Events with the FIFA Women’s World Cup

This week, Tourism Australia is launching a special edition of its global Come and Say G’day campaign to celebrate the incredible decade of global sporting events Australia is hosting, including the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ which begins this week.

The new Holiday Highlights campaign encapsulates iconic Australian experiences like sporting iterations, showcases the country’s remarkable destinations and friendly locals, and invites international travelers to plan their next holiday in Australia.

To celebrate Australia’s place in the global spotlight during the month-long World Cup tournament, the new campaign encourages visitors to go beyond the stadiums and sports games and immerse themselves in Australian culture and experiences.

Tourism Australia chief executive Phillipa Harrison said the first women’s World Cup to be hosted in the southern hemisphere is a major opportunity for Australia’s tourism industry.

Phillipa said: “With matches being played in five cities across Australia, the FIFA Women’s World Cup is a momentous opportunity to bring Australia’s unique and diverse holiday experiences to the world stage, while billions of people around the world watch the tournament.”

“The FIFA Women’s World Cup is just the beginning of a huge chain of major sporting events to take place across Australia over the next decade. From the 2025 British & Irish Lions Tour to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games, Australia looks forward to welcoming sports fans from around the world and invites visitors to plan a holiday to remember.”

To welcome football fans from around the world, Tourism Australia also announced that England fan favorite Andy Milne is in Australia to cheer on the Lionesses. Widely known as ‘the World Cup guy’, Andy rose to fame during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar due to his endearing enthusiasm and his resemblance to former England soccer player Steven McClaren. Andy and his daughter Laila, who is currently living in Sydney on working holiday, are taking part in the Women’s World Cup together for the first time.

Sally Cope, Tourism Australia’s regional general manager for the UK and Northern Europe, said: “Sport is a huge part of Australian culture and we love how it brings people together. When we heard from Andy, someone who has been a passionate football fan for decades and takes so much joy in meeting new people while cheering for his home country, we knew we had to invite him to come over and say Happy Be a Part of the Women’s World Cup.”

Tourism Australia’s brand ambassador, Ruby the souvenir kangaroo, returns at Holiday Highlights, voiced by Australian actress and Tourism Australia Global Ambassador, Rose Byrne. Ruby was introduced to the world through a live-action animated short titled “G’day” and a multichannel campaign “Come and Say G’day”, which launched in 15 major international markets last October.

Tourism Australia Chief Marketing Officer Susan Coghill said it was important to seize a cultural moment that could build on the momentum of the Come and Say G’day campaign.

“Australia was in the global spotlight during the Women’s World Cup and it was the perfect moment to put Australia’s warm welcome into the global spotlight. With a distinctive character like Ruby and recognizable destinations like Bondi Beach and the Great Barrier Reef, our winning formula reminds consumers what they already know and love about Australia and invites them to visit.”

In new Holiday Highlights TVC (30 seconds and 15 seconds), Ruby returns as a sports commentator alongside an emu character from the G’day short film, covering the variety of destinations and experiences on offer across Australia. The TVC also features rising stars from the Queensland Indigenous Football junior team playing kickabout under a starry night sky on a Gold Coast beach.

Queensland Indigenous Football CEO Damian Munday is extremely proud to be working with Tourism Australia to show Australia’s warm welcome to the world and celebrate women in sport.

“It is incredibly exciting for our foundation and our young players to be a part of Tourism Australia’s global activities around the FIFA Women’s World Cup,” said Damian. “This is also a unique opportunity to raise awareness of our mission to create more accessible football opportunities for young Indigenous Australians.”

In addition to the TVC, Holiday Highlights will be supported by print and high-impact Out of Home (OOH) advertising placements, as well as social, digital and editorial initiatives worldwide. The campaign launches today with paid activities in key international markets including the UK, US, Germany and Japan.