Tourism Australia is preparing to launch a new $40 million marketing campaign touting the nation's coastal attractions in an attempt to compete against rival destinations like the United States, South Africa and France. 
Tourism Australia managing director John O'Sullivan said the aquatic and coastal campaign, which includes a three-part documentary series filmed by David Attenborough that is expected to air early next year in more than 130 countries, was designed to play to the country's strengths.
The campaign will be launched early next year and will be modelled on the successful Restaurant Australia campaign run 18 months ago, which boosted spending on food and wine in Australia by almost $700 million a year - 40 per cent higher than its target of $500 million.
The campaign will include online and mobile ads, broadcast and other print and digital materials, shot in Rottnest Island in Western Australia, Katherine in the Northern Territory and on the Three Capes Walk in Tasmania.
"The growth of the campaign has been designed in unison with the states and territories," Mr O'Sullivan said. "They have helped choose the locations being shot and the assets created."
Australia's coastal appeal might seem obvious to residents, but Tourism Australia found there had been a 10 per cent decline in Google keyword searches for "Australian beaches" in the US, Britain, Singapore, Japan and India in the 2013-14 financial year.
In the meantime, competing destinations, like Hawaii, the mainland US, South Africa and the south of France have been working hard to attract tourists interested in aquatic and coastal experiences.
"We are looking to move the dial and reclaim that top spot particularly for those who haven't visited the country," he said.