Robert Irwin has been unveiled as the face of Tourism Australia’s latest international campaign.

The 20-year-old celebrity conservationist leads a $130million global marketing blitz aimed at tempting travellers to experience the natural beauty of Australia.

The campaign specifically targets American and Chinese audiences, with stunning shots of Robert set against iconic Australian landscapes.

Tourism Australia has shared a three-minute ad on YouTube which captures an enthusiastic-looking Robert driving an American tourist through the outback.

Packed with plenty of ‘G’day mates’ – and even a nod to the classic ‘throw a shrimp on the barbie’ catchphrase – the ad kicks off with a comical scene.

It depicts a lost American tourist stranded in the desert without his phone, only to be rescued by Robert behind the wheel of a 4WD.

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Robert Irwin has been unveiled as the face of Tourism Australia’s latest international campaign. Pictured

‘G’day mate, just going for a stroll?’ Robert asks the sunburnt traveller, who is crawling on his hands and knees.

‘An emu took my phone,’ the tourist replies, to which Robert helpfully says, ‘Well, we better go find it,’ as the pair set off across the sand dunes in search of the bird.

Tourism Minister Don Farrell said the ‘Come and Say G’day’ campaign was building on a winning formula.

‘I know this iteration, featuring popular talent like Robert Irwin, will be a smash,’ he said in a statement.

The campaign also features British TV chef Nigella Lawson, Chinese actor Yosh Yu and Japanese comedian Abareru-kun.

It is set to be rolled out across TV and digital platforms in five key international markets – with each celebrity starring in ads tailored to their home country.

It comes at a time when international travel is surging, with visitor numbers expected to hit 10 million by 2026 and 11.8 million by 2029.

Tourism remains one of the nation’s biggest economic drivers, supporting more than 700,000 jobs and 360,000 businesses.

 
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The 20-year-old celebrity conservationist leads a $130million global marketing blitz aimed at tempting travellers to experience the natural beauty of Australia

 
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View gallery

Tourism Australia has shared a three-minute ad on YouTube which captures an enthusiastic-looking Robert driving an American tourist through the outback.

An ad teaser was first unveiled in July during Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to China, with more set to go live on Thursday in the Chinese market.

It comes one year after Robert joined forces with his fellow Aussie icon Bluey to be the face of a special campaign for Tourism and Events Queensland.

The conservationist fronted a $9.2million international tourism campaign designed to bring more visitors into the state.

In a promotional video for the campaign, Robert asks viewers: ‘Ever wish you could live in Bluey’s world? Well, that’s all of Queensland!’

He was then seen launching a red balloon into the air to begin a round of ‘keepy uppy’, the fun Bluey game where characters try to keep a balloon off the ground.

The footage then cut to the balloon floating across some iconic QLD sights, including the Great Barrier Reef, the outback and the Gold Coast.

The marketing campaign was a collaboration between Tourism and Events Queensland and BBC Studios in the UK.