Australia – stop being “tight arses”

Australia’s dynamic duo – the stunning entrepreneur Zoe-Foster Blake and her hilarious comedic husband, Hamish Blake – are the face behind T...

Australia – stop being “tight arses”

By Explore

Updated September 20, 2022, first published March 5, 2021

Australia’s dynamic duo – the stunning entrepreneur Zoe-Foster Blake and her hilarious comedic husband, Hamish Blake – are the face behind Tourism Australia’s latest ad campaign.

Lazing around Sydney’s Park Hyatt pool, admiring exhibitions in Melbourne’s NGV and taking a boat ride on the Brisbane River, there is a clear message behind the sweet and inspiring video.

Spend, spend, spend in our backyard like you’ve never spent before.

At a Tourism Australia industry event held this week hosted by Nine’s Today show host, Karl Stefanovic, said Australians should not be “tight arses” when it comes to taking a holiday and spending at home.

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The new federal tourism minister, Dan Tehan delivered his first inaugural speech with the blunt message, albeit in more eloquent terms.

“Every dollar spent on a holiday in Australia is a dollar that supports a tourism job and business and helps support our wonderful tourism sector,” Mr Tehan said.

“So now is the time to book a holiday to explore one of our major cities, and experience the world-class accommodation, attractions, dining and culture on offer.”
- “So now is the time to book a holiday to explore one of our major cities, and experience the world-class accommodation, attractions, dining and culture on offer.”

The $6 million campaign featuring the blakes, is a boost to encourage people to head to the capital cities, with Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Perth experiencing a 34 per cent drop in tourism expenditure – equivalent to a staggering $27.1 billion.

Off the back of the expiry date of the federal government’s JobKeeper wage subsidy, Mr Tehan said in his address that Australians should avoid “penny pinching” and spend on a holiday “like you’ve never spent before”.

Hamish Blake said: “We have such a unique collection of clean, safe, beautiful cities with lots in common with each other but a vibrancy that’s unique to each city. We’re extremely lucky.

“There is always a café, shop, pasta spot, or small business just around the corner waiting to give you a memory you weren’t expecting. And at the moment our cities are full of Australians! And that gives travelling such a unique vibe right now that we may never feel again, it’s like a big family holiday wherever you go.”