Tourism Australia's awkward ad – one day after Queensland shark attack
In what could be called awkward timing, Tourism Australia has launched a new advertising campaign one day after two Englishmen were mauled by a shark in the Whitsundays.
Tourism Australia launched its “Philausophy” campaign on Wednesday, which focuses not only on Australia’s beaches and landscape but also on “its people and personality”.
The ad features various parts of Australia including footage of a woman snorkelling with the voice over: “You never know what you might get to see.”
The two Englishmen on Tuesday were exploring the famous reefs of the Whitsundays as part of a boat tour from Airlie Beach when they had the unfortunate encounter with the shark.
The new tourism campaign features a list of “places to go”, including Great Barrier Reef and Whitsundays as well as the likes of Bondi, Dreamworld and the outback.
Tourism Australia’s ‘Philausophy’ part of a $38 million campaign
A statement on Tourism Australia’s site says the Philausophy name is a deliberate play on words, “aiming to capture the philosophy of Australians and their informal approach to living”.
Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said Tourism Australia’s latest global campaign strategy is part of a $38 million investment that will be rolled out in our 15 key tourism markets over the next three years to attract more international tourists Down Under.”
But the fear of sharks may put some people off visiting the Whitsundays with six shark attacks since last September.
‘Government failing to protect tourists from sharks’
Tuesday’s attack received wide coverage in the British press with The Sun reporting the attack as a "shark rampage" while the Daily Express reported a "terrifying shark launches a brutal attack".
The attack has revived debate about how to protect people from sharks in their habitat.
Whitsunday MP Jason Costigan says governments at all levels are failing to protect locals and tourists.
"We are going to have more and more of this happening until governments put public safety as their number one priority," he said.
Mr Raddon told him he and his friend had been mucking around in the water when the shark attacked, CQ Rescue Helicopter Service crewman Grant Bollington told the ABC.
"He basically said they were wrestling in the water at the time and he thought his mate grabbed him by the leg really hard, turned around and saw there was blood in the water and realised he was getting bitten by a shark," Mr Bollington said.
"When we were loading the gentlemen into the chopper, it might have all been coming to the gentleman who lost his foot of what actually happened and it was obvious when we landed his spirits picked back up again."
Tourism Australia managing director Phillipa Harrison said research shows 70 per cent of international travellers believe that Australians have a “different perspective on life”.
“Seventy-nine per cent believe that the Australian people are an important part of the Australian lifestyle; and 82 per cent would like to travel to Australia to experience our lifestyle,” she said.
With AAP
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