The Hemsworth effect: How Chris has influenced Australian tourism in 2020

Chris Hemsworth and wife Elsa Pataky relocated from Hollywood to Byron Bay, Australia back in 2014.

And ever since, the Thor star has become somewhat of a poster child for a more relaxed lifestyle, with travel to the idyllic coastal town now at an all-time high.

Now The Daily Telegraph reports on Saturday how the 37-year-old actor has influenced Australian tourism in 2020, as fans have become captivated by another destination visited by him and his family. 

Tourism Australia Managing Director Phillipa Harrison told the publication how Lord Howe Island has become one of Tourism Australia’s top 10 most viewed Instagram images for 2020.  

Chris, Elsa and their family enjoyed a vacation at Lord Howe Island in October, with the Hollywood star sharing picture-perfect snaps to his Instagram at the time.

‘Chris Hemsworth is an incredible ambassador for Australia and the Australian lifestyle,’ Phillipa said, going on to reveal how Chris’ post ‘opened up a whole new audience to Lord Howe’.  

Lord Howe Island is situated in the Tasman Sea, east of Port Macquarie in New South Wales, and is renowned for its beaches, forests and crystal clear waters. 

Chris and Elsa, 44, who wed in 2010, had been living in Los Angeles for several years, before relocating to Byron Bay in 2014.

The former Home and Away star told GQ Australia earlier this year why he left Hollywood in pursuit of a quieter lifestyle.

‘You’re a little bit too much in the eye of the storm when you’re living in Hollywood,’ he said.

‘Living in Australia, it’s also easier to detach myself from work – and you get a bit more leeway to let a few emails and phone calls slide on by.’   

Chris and Elsa reside at a $20million Byron Bay mansion with their children, daughter India Rose, eight, and twin sons Tristan and Sasha, six.

The Avenger’s star’s brothers Liam and Luke Hemsworth, as well as their parents, also live in the coastal town.