Tasmania’s tourism body has launched a new campaign telling Australians the state is “not really for tourists”, in a bid to draw more mainland visitors south.
Tourism Tasmania rolled out the campaign today. It is the latest chapter of the ‘Come Down For Air’ brand, which has run for several years.
The ads poke fun at familiar tourist habits like overplanning, chasing viral trends, trusting online reviews and filming everything instead of enjoying the moment.
The main ad follows a man who joins an endless queue for a viral pastry. The line stretches across the ocean to Tasmania, where he steps out and leaves the crowd behind.
Tourism Tasmania chief marketing officer Lindene Cleary said the slogan was a joke with a serious point.
Much of the campaign had been designed to “subvert the conventions of tourism marketing” and position Tasmania as a place that offers “something distinctly different from typical tourism culture”, she said.
“‘Not really for tourists’ isn’t meant to be taken literally or as an exclusionary statement – we’re a tourism agency after all and that’s part of the tension we’re having fun with,” Cleary said.
“We want to invite Australians to reflect on what travel means to them, how they choose to experience the places they visit and what they contribute along the way.”
Research by Decibel Research for the campaign found 75% of Australians would rather be called a traveller than a tourist.
It also found 86% believe a tourist mindset can spoil a holiday.
“As a challenger brand, we know we need to be brave and distinctive to keep cutting through in a crowded travel market,” Cleary said.
Creative agency BMF made the campaign. Executive creative director David Fraser said Tasmania gave people a break from crowds.
“It’s almost impossible to travel in 2026 and not find yourself in a crowd, queue or ‘must-do’ activity at some point. Tasmania offers a breather from much of that,” he said.
The ads will run on TV, streaming services and cinema screens on the mainland.
They will also run online, in print and on billboards over summer, including takeovers at Sydney’s Manly Wharf and Melbourne’s Southern Cross Station.
Former newsreader Lee Lin Chin stars in a series of short videos called Lee Lin Chin Investigates, filmed on her first trip to Tasmania, as part of the campaign.
Tourism Tasmania has also launched five De-Tourist Trails, which feature more than 200 places to visit, things to do and places to stay.
