Australian cricket legend Adam Gilchrist and his son Harry are fronting a new campaign to promote day road trips from Perth to India's lucrative tourism market. The campaign showcases the pair exploring various attractions around Perth, including four-wheel-driving and sandboarding in Lancelin, stargazing in the Pinnacles, visiting wineries in the Swan Valley, enjoying a dolphin boat cruise in Rockingham, and experiencing the Vertigo rooftop adventure at Optus Stadium.
Their adventures are captured in videos and photos for Indian social media and Cricbuzz, a popular cricket news app with over 50 million users and nearly 400 million monthly visits. The campaign will also feature prominently on billboards in Mumbai and Delhi, directing potential Indian visitors to accommodations, tourism experiences, and special offers through Indian travel agency Thomas Cook and Skyscanner.
The campaign coincides with the highly anticipated cricket test match, The West Test, between Australia and India at Optus Stadium starting November 22, 2024. This match marks the first encounter between the two nations since the World Test Championship Final in June 2023.
India has become a key tourism market for Western Australia, with 34,000 visitors spending $128 million in the year ending March 2024. The country has moved from being Western Australia's 11th largest market in 2019 to the 7th, reflecting growing demand from Indian visitors, bolstered by a significant Indian community in WA.
This India-focused campaign is a regional adaptation of the global "Drive the Dream" initiative, which launched in September 2023 featuring Perth-born Formula 1 star Daniel Ricciardo exploring Australia’s Coral Coast. That campaign has reached over 136 million people.
Both campaigns align with Western Australia’s acclaimed "Walking On A Dream" destination brand. Recent figures from Tourism Australia show WA outperformed all other states in visitor spending compared to 2019, with a record $17.9 billion spent by travelers in the year ending March 2024.
Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti remarked, "Adam Gilchrist is not only a cricket icon but also a cherished national figure. We’re thrilled to have him promoting his home state to India, where he is also a well-known name. India is a priority market for us, and our vibrant Indian community in WA has undoubtedly influenced the growing visitor numbers. We hope this campaign will inspire people in India to visit WA, whether to see family, enjoy the cricket, or experience the fantastic day trips Adam and Harry enjoyed."
Adam Gilchrist added, "Partnering with Tourism WA to showcase the incredible experiences just outside Perth was a privilege. I hope the Drive the Dream campaign motivates people in India to join us for the cricket and explore more of Western Australia. Perth, as the gateway to South Asia, offers a lifetime of experiences—from the Pinnacles Desert and Swan Valley’s food and wine to dolphin cruises and the Optus Stadium rooftop. There's something for everyone in this beautiful state."