State banks on Bluey power to win tourists

Global phenomenon Bluey will be the official face of Queensland, fronting the Sunshine State’s biggest tourism campaign in more than a decade.

The adored cartoon blue heeler and her family call Brisbane home and tourism bosses are hoping her popularity will lead to fans wanting to see ‘Bluey’s world, for real life’.

“For the past six years, Bluey and the backdrop of Brisbane has captivated audiences globally and now it’s time to bring the world here to Queensland – Bluey’s world for real life,” Premier Steven Miles said.

“We have the world’s best lifestyle, the best beaches, the best cities, the incredible outback, the Great Barrier Reef and people who love welcoming visitors to our unbeatable backyard.

“I invite everyone to come and experience for themselves the magnificent place the Heeler family couldn’t bear to move away from.”

To mark the start of the campaign, the world’s biggest game of a Bluey favourite – Keepy Uppy – was played across the state.

The world record attempt had hundreds of people keeping a giant red ball in the air, across multiple Keepy Uppy games spanning almost 2000km across Queensland.

Bluey will be helped out by another big name, Robert Irwin, recently named Australia’s most popular broadcast personality.

The new tourism campaign comes months before the immersive Bluey’s World experience, opens at Brisbane’s Northshore on November 7

TEQ will launch a major local and international publicity blitz to reach tens of millions in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, United Kingdom, Japan and Singapore.

TEQ anticipates that the campaign will help support visitor growth to reach targets of an additional 1.3 million holiday visitors to Queensland who are estimated to spend an additional $1.7bn by June 2025.

The Queensland government, through Screen Queensland, has supported Bluey since inception in 2018 through its Post-Production, Digital and Visual Effects (PDV) incentive. Since then, 154 episodes of Bluey spanning three seasons have been produced.

Tourism and Events Queensland chief executive Patricia O’Callaghan said the tourism industry supported 200,000 jobs in the state.

“In a globally competitive market, Queensland must show the world what makes us special,” she said.

“Bluey is a true international sensation and we could not be more excited to be working with BBC Studios to invite the world to experience Bluey’s world for real life here in Queensland.”

TEQ is giving away a 12-night Queensland holiday, including a money-can’t-buy family experience at the Bluey’s World Brisbane event launch. Enter at www.queensland.com/blueysworld.