Hit US TV show Modern Family's Australian episode won't be bringing Americans down under any time soon says a destination marketing expert after the show was panned by critics worldwide. 

Port Douglas and Cairns were potential film locations for the mockumentary comedy now in its fifth season but were snubbed in favour of the Whitsundays. 

But poor critical reviews following the program's airing in the United States last Wednesday may mean the region's tourism industry are better off without the quirky Dunphy family. 

Tourism lecturer at University of Technology Sydney, Dr David Beirman said promoting a destination through film and television can be a difficult marriage.

"If you're investing in a product that's not well received then it's not going to create bums on [airplane] seats," Dr Beirman said.

In contrast, successful tourism campaigns involving films such as 'Mamma Mia' for Greece and 'Crocodile Dundee' in Australia used the motion pictures after they had become box office hits Dr Bierman said.

"Tourism Australia didn't start marketing with Paul Hogan until 'Crocodile Dundee' was a success," he said. 

"So they got the order right that time.

"Whereas, I think the problem Tourism Australia had with [the film] 'Australia', for example, is Baz Luhrmann sold the idea of using the movie to market the destination before they knew whether the movie would be marketable.

"The film was visually spectacular but if it's not a box office success there's not much value in doing it." 

Arts review website The AV Club panned the 'Modern Family' episode as a 'shameless promotion of Sydney' while TV.com called it 'a big tourism ad and another mediocre episode full of recycled jokes'.

The Sydney Morning Herald's Sarah Thomas also blasted the episode claiming it was 'rife with cliches, stereotypes and contrived set-ups' that 'comes across as a holiday brochure assembled by tourism bosses'. 

But Dr Bierman said the episode won't do 'irreparable damage' to Australia's reputation as a tourism destination. 

"Generally speaking, if it's showing positive images of the places and it's absolutely beautiful but it's a bit naff, people won't be turned off," he said.

"If we've all got hats with corks hanging off them, that is fine. That's what Americans love to see." 

'Modern Family' raked in 9.2 million viewers in the US, reportedly rating highly among the 18-49 demographic. 

The cast filmed in Australia in February as part of a partnership between Twentieth Century Fox Television and QANTAS.

In the episode, the family's 'loveable' patriarch Phil is punched by a kangaroo.

Editor's note: Paul Hogan's 'Come and say G'day' advertisements were commissioned by the Australian Tourism Commission and ran from 1984 to 1990.

The campaign pre-dates Mr Hogan's appearance in the 1986 film 'Crocodile Dundee'.