• Tourism Australia has launched a new, $20 million advertising campaign called “Holiday Here This Year” encouraging Aussies to travel locally to support the tourism industry.
• It’s part of a $76 million funding package from the federal government intended to stimulate tourism in bushfire-devastated regions.
• The campaign will be rolled out in print, on social media and on billboards.
• Visit Business Insider Australia’s homepage for more stories.

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Tourism Australia has launched a new, $20 million advertising campaign ‘Holiday Here This Year’, which encourages Aussies to book a domestic holiday to support communities affected by the bushfires.

The campaign calls on Aussies to help those affected by filling up places like restaurants, hotel rooms, caravan parks and beaches. It will be rolled out across billboards, print, social media, radio and outdoor ads.

It’s part of a bid to boost Australia’s tourism industry, with Aussies encouraged to share their holiday experiences with their friends and online using the hashtag #holidayherethisyear.

“There is no doubt that Australian tourism has been hit hard by the recent bushfires. It’s critical that we help the industry get back on its feet as soon as possible,” Tourism Australia Managing Director Phillipa Harrison said in a statement.

“The desire from ordinary Australians to assist the communities impacted both directly and indirectly by the bushfires has been overwhelming. This campaign seeks to show them how they can directly support the recovery by simply holidaying here in Australia.”

The local tourism stimulus comes as part of the federal government’s National Bushfire Recovery Fund. Included in the $2 billion recovery investment is a $76 million tourism recovery package to encourage tourists to come to Australia.

In addition to the $20 million marketing campaign is a $10 million regional tourism events initiative, and $25 million in increased funds for Tourism Australia’s international marketing.

As part of the campaign, Tourism Australia also highlighted eight ways travellers can help with bushfire recovery efforts such as spending locally and visiting animal sanctuaries.

Harrison added that Australia is in the middle of the peak summer period, a tourism impact is being observed as people cancel or delay their travel plans – including in areas not directly affected by the fires.

“That is why we are asking people to commit to holidaying in their own backyard this year – whether it’s a drive up the coast, taking a trip interstate, or ticking off a bucket list destination – and to spread the word that Australia is ready to welcome more travellers.

The Holiday Here This Year campaign is the first of a number of measures Tourism Australia will be rolling out in the coming weeks and months to help Australia’s tourism industry recover.

It comes after Tourism Australia paused a new $15 million ‘Matesong’ ad campaign earlier this month designed to encourage people in the UK to travel Downunder. The campaign, which featured Aussie icons such as Kylie Minogue, Ash Barty and Ian Thorpe, was halted amid the bushfires raging along Australia’s east coast.

“In light of the current situation in Australia, we have reduced some of our campaign activity in the UK and will continue to review our planned activity over the coming months,” a spokesperson told Business Insider Australia at the time.

In October, Tourism Australia came under fire from Twitter users for its “Come live our Philausophy” campaign. At the time, the tourism body said the play on words “aims to capture the philosophy of Australians and their informal approach to living”.

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