What’s More Effective For Australian Tourism: Shirtless Hemsworth Or Furry Animals?

Qantas and Tourism Australia have judged which social media post from 2016 best promoted Australia as ‘memorable and desirable destination’ to the world- the competition was tight: shirtless Chris Hemsworth, an adorable wombat or two kangaroos.

The competition was run ahead of the annual tourism and trade event, G’Day USA, held in LA which promotes Australian tourism and trade to corporate America. The top videos and social posts will be featured at the event, which is expected to draw Australian A-listers including Hugh Jackman, Rachel Griffiths and Julie Bishop to its gala dinner on January 28.

Qualia Resort on Hamilton Island posted on Instagram:

Channeling my Kung fu panda at @qualiaresort on Hamilton island, another incredible place to visit in @australia #whitsundays

A photo posted by Chris Hemsworth (@chrishemsworth) on Jul 18, 2016 at 2:38pm PDT

Margaret River Discovery Company Instagram:

Yeeeeeewwwww! Got a little bit excited about this one. Calling it Karma. I’d just helped rescue an abondoned lamb from the side of the road, which altered my evening plans, so decided to go exploring down a random bush track that the lamb had led me on and go discovering. I was pretty stoked to find a new trail that could be useful for future tours. I’d been wandering around in the bush and looked back up the hill to see these two roos getting a bit amorous. Pretty cool scene. And then it got about hundred times better as the full moon started to rise. Heart stopping problem though ……. I had no camera with me. Mad dash back to the car. Retrieve camera and sneak back into position. At that point the camera starts to die, wont focus, sick electronic whirring sounds. Years of clunking, sand, dropping, salt water, and lack of care were suddenly culminating to kill the camera at the very moment I needed it most. I fair dinkum nearly had a heart attack. Probably the most nuts beautiful scene Ive ever seen and I’m not going to be able to share it. At that moment I think nature decided to give one back to me for the lamb rescue (it doesn’t need to know I have lamb for dinner 2 nights a week). Camera started working, Kangaroos moved a bit closer, Moon in perfect position, click click click click. Got it! You could plan and wait and hide and sneak for years to be that lucky with a photo. Stoked. And for the record the big fella on the right got a bit lucky shortly after this pic ;) Hope you enjoy it. Ps- dear @sonyaustralia @canonaustralia @nikonaustralia , while I’m on a lucky roll, Im putting it out to the universe, if you would like to generously upgrade my dying camera I would promise to care for it and love it even more than my sister loved her Cabbage Patch Doll. #justanotherdayinWA #seeaustralia #westernaustralia #australiassw #margaretriver #moon #fullmoon #kangaroo #icwest #sonyaustralia #canonaustralia #nikonaustralia

A photo posted by Margaret River Discovery Co (@discovermargaretriver) on Jul 19, 2016 at 4:56am PDT

Symbio Wildlife Park posted on YouTube:

Sydney’s Australian Reptile Park posted on Facebook:

The photo of two kangaroos against a sunset and a video of George the baby wombat George were selected.

Tourism Australia chief marketing officer Lisa Ronson told The Daily Telegraph that the high quality of entries demonstrates how effective social media can be as a tourism marketing strategy.

“What has struck me most strongly about this competition is not just the amazing quality of the photos and video submissions but the great stories that lie behind each of these postings and, importantly, the impressive results that have been delivered for all of these operators,” Ronson said.

Federal Tourism Minister Steven Ciobo said social media was a great marketing tool because “almost everyone is on Instagram and Facebook”. He added: “Millions of people from across the globe can get a glimpse of Australia through a good post and it can be the spark that leads to a trip down under.”