Kylie’s moves to lure tourists

AFTER the Brexit chaos and a last minute election, terrorist attacks and just living in a gloomy old country, the Brits need a lift to their dreary lives.

Enter one of our best exports, entertainer and actor Kylie Minogue, who has been hired by Tourism Australia to sell our beautiful country, including Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef, to the British.

On Christmas Day a three minute ad featuring a new Minogue tune, Matesong, written by Eddie Perfect, aired just before the Queen’s traditional Christmas Day speech on all major UK TV networks.

It ends with Minogue in the Northern Territory telling Brits: “See ya soon then, yeah?”

The campaign, costing $15 million, taps into the unease around British politics, which has hit the local tourism market. It sells Australia as a familiar place where Brits will feel welcome.

The Brits do love Australia. British tourists traditionally stay longer and spend more than other international guests – on average spending 32 nights and close to $5000 per trip.

Last year 718,000 Brits spent

$3.4 billion in Australia.

In the Far North 78,000 Brits visited in the year to June, 2019, a drop of early 9 per cent.

The uncertainty in Britain, especially Brexit and politics, has lead to a tightening of belts, a lack of confidence and and a brake on overseas travel.

Bright and bubbly Kylie is sure to give the Brits a reason to travel Down Under next year.

Nick Dalton

Deputy editor