Ruby the Kangaroo is back to promote tourism to Australia

Robert Irwin and Nigella Lawson are among the names that have been enlisted by Tourism Australia for its latest campaign that continues the adventures of Ruby the Kangaroo.

Tourism Australia today launched a new phase of its 'Come and say G'day' campaign with market-specific celebrities in five key countries.

Wildlife conservationist Irwin (US), foodie Lawson (UK), actor Yosh Yu (China), entrepeneur Sara Tendulkar (India), and media personality Abareru-kun (Japan) have been chosen.

International visitor spending in Australia reached a record $52.6 billion in year to March 2025, with predictions of 10 million arrivals by 2026.

Previous campaigns resulted in a 10% increase in holiday consideration in US, UK and China, with 22% jump in flight searches.

The campaign rollout begins in China, followed by India in August, US/UK/Japan/Germany in September, and South Korea in November 2025.

Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator the Hon Don Farrell, said “The previous campaign struck a chord with visitors, with Ruby the Roo bounding into the imagination of countless guests, encouraging them to book a holiday down under.

“I know this iteration, featuring popular talent like Robert Irwin, will be a smash. Tourism is the lifeblood of so many communities right around the country and creates hundreds of thousands of jobs.

“Come and say G’day is bringing more visitors to our shores, creating more jobs and growing our economy.”

Tourism Australia takes credit as visitor figures bounce back

The corny kangaroo has apparently done its job in directing visitors back to Australia post pandemic.

Tourism Australia’s global campaign, Come and Say G’day, has now been in key tourism markets around the world for 12 months, urging international travellers to fly Down Under.

To celebrate the milestone, brand ambassador Ruby the kangaroo - which was lambasted when the campaign began - has hopped onto major billboards in New York, London, Singapore, Chengdu and Beijing with a showcasing some of Australia’s most recognisable destinations and scenery.

Tourism Australia managing director Phillipa Harrison said that while Come and Say G’day was a long-term campaign, and its work was far from done, the organisation can already see it has had a positive impact in Tourism Australia’s key markets.

“When Come and Say G’day launched in October 2022, visitation to Australia was at about 50% of monthly pre-pandemic levels." Harrison said.

"The latest arrivals numbers for July 2023 show we have steadily climbed back to about 80%, compared to the same month in 2019.

“This ongoing recovery is great news for our industry, and we are confident that our campaign will continue to drive more demand back to Australia, as we look to stand out in a very competitive global market.

"We know the campaign has already driven up global consideration for an Australian holiday, and our share of flight search is already up by 10% globally, compared to 2019.

“These numbers demonstrate that Come and Say G’day is working, and will play an important role, as we look to not only recover to 2019 levels, but to return to the sustainable growth our industry experienced in the decade before the pandemic.”

Tourism Australia chief marketing officer Susan Coghill said it was not a surprise Come and Say G’day is resonating internationally as it tested extremely well in markets ahead of the launch.

“Come and Say G’day has proven to be an incredibly versatile campaign that translates across English and non-English speaking markets and it can be adapted to capitalise on key moments such as the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, where we were able to make the most of the global attention on Australia with a special instalment of the campaign,” she said.

Farewell Hoges and Lara Bingle; hello Ruby the Roo

Farewell Paul Hogan and Lara Bingle. Hello to Ruby the Roo. 

Tourism Australia has unveiled a new Brand Ambassador, Ruby, a souvenir kangaroo brought to life with CGI animation, as the face of a new global tourism campaign that will invite the world to Come and Say G’day when it launches next week.

The next instalment of Tourism Australia’s There’s Nothing Like Australia global brand platform will star Australian actress and Tourism Australia ambassador Rose Byrne, who will be the English voice of Ruby. 

The campaign will also be localised in non-English markets, with Japanese actress Maryjun Takahashi to be the voice of Ruby in Japan.

The Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator Don Farrell, this week unleashed Ruby to the world on a major digital billboard in Tokyo, kick-starting a world tour which will take Australia’s new brand ambassador onto billboards around the globe.

“From today Ruby will hop onto billboards in Singapore, London and New York building anticipation ahead of the launch of the new campaign, which will invite international travellers to Come and Say G’day,” Farrell said.

“Ruby will resonate with international audiences as the campaign is rolled out across key international markets to remind the world why There’s Nothing Like Australia.”

Tourism Australia managing director Phillipa Harrison said the new campaign will support the tourism industry as it rebuilds, by converting the pent-up demand for an Australian holiday and encouraging people to plan and book their adventure Down Under.

“We know that Australia consistently ranks high on people’s consideration list but we need to get travellers to take that critical next step and book their holiday to Australia to experience everything we have to offer,” Harrison said.

“Visitor economies around the world are looking to rebuild as we emerge from the pandemic and that will make the tourism landscape more competitive than ever before, which is why we have made sure Come and Say G’day will cut through and make Australia stand out today and in the long term.”

Tourism Australia Chief Marketing Officer, Susan Coghill, said the multichannel campaign will remind travellers of Australia’s iconic destinations and friendly faces.

“The use of an animated character in Ruby was a deliberate move that aims to cut through the clutter of destination marketing internationally and it is backed by research,” Coghill said.

Tourism Australia’s global Come and Say G’day campaign will officially launch on Wednesday, October 19.

Come down under and visit us; Australia's appeal

Tourism Australia has launched a new international campaign to entice back overseas tourists ahead of border openings later this month.

A new TV ad aimed at North America, the UK and Europe, marks Australia's first major international tourism campaign in two years and is highlights the slogan "Don't go small. Go Australia".

Phillipa Harrison, managing director of Tourism Australia, said the Covid-19 epidemic had impacted on tourism.

"People have been living smaller lives during the pandemic," she said.

The ad showcases a range of iconic Aussie travel destinations including the Northern Territory, Sydney Harbour and the Great Barrier Reef.

"It's about showcasing the incredible diversity and the incredible experiences that are here in Australian," Harrison said, jokingly adding the "hardest part" of her job was deciding on which destinations to include.

The Australian Government has announced borders will finally be opening up to the world this month, with fully-vaccinated international arrivals allowed to enter Australia from February 21.