Kerala Tourism’s efforts to get back to its feet after the floods got an impetus when its innovative marketing campaigns won the entity two prestigious gold awards of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).
Sudeshna Ramkumar, assistant director, India Tourism, Singapore, received the award on behalf of Kerala Tourism at a function in Langkawi, Malaysia, on Friday during PATA Travel Mart 2018. Kerala Tourism got the first gold for its ‘Yalla Kerala’ print media campaign in the Gulf countries.
It showcased the State’s greenery and backwaters, a different world from the Gulf, just four hours away. With the punch line, ‘Yalla Kerala,’ the campaign triggered a lot of interest for God’s Own Country as a tourism destination in the Gulf countries.
The second gold award came for an innovative poster Kerala Tourism had developed for the third edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB), the biggest contemporary art show in south Asia. The post titled ‘live-inspired’ featured a colourful boat and fishermen, and could be put up straight as well as upside down.
The campaign and posters were developed and designed by Stark Communications.
“Winning two sought-after gold medals of PATA will give a fillip to our ongoing efforts for a robust rejuvenation of tourism in the State,” said Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran. “Our efforts have already started paying off. Most of our tourist destinations are ready to welcome the tourists,” he said.
The PATA gold awards were a testament to the undiminished charm of tourist destinations in the State, which were attracting visitors in droves, Secretary, Tourism, Rani George said. Our tourism campaigns were specimens of creative brilliance and always evoked international attention and admiration, he said.
The PATA Awards are presented to outstanding entries in the principal categories of Marketing; Education and Training; Environment, and Heritage and Culture.