1

2

Kerala Tourism – God’s Own Country

• Kerala Tourism – a global superbrand • One of the destinations with the highest brand

recall• One of the fastest growing tourism destinations

in the world• A combined initiative of KTDC and Govt of

Kerala• KTDC ran a campaign in the early 1990s• Packaged Kerala’s USPs – towns, cities,

beaches, backwaters, cultural heritage, food, wildlife, Ayurveda – in a professional way

• Branding efforts made Kerala intellectually appealing to foreign and domestic visitors

• Kerala emerged as ‘Destination of Choice’ in India

3

Product OfferingsProducts Destinations

Major Beaches Kovalam, Varkala, Fort Kochi, Kappadand Bakal

Major Wild Life Sanctuaries

Thekkady, Parambikulam, Wayanad, Silent Valley, Aralam, Peechi-Vazhani, Chimani, Shenduruny, Idukki, Chinnar, Peppara, Neyyar

Bird Sanctuaries Thattekad, Kumarakom

Art Forms Kadhakali, Koodiyattom, Kalarippayattu,

Mohinivattom, Koodiyattom, Kalaripayattu, Mohiniyattam, Chakkiyarkootu

Hill Stations Ponmudi, Peerumade, Thekkady, Munnar and Wayanad

4

Key Trends

• Travel & Tourism – one of the largest industries in Kerala today, contributing Rs39.3 billion or 3.7 per cent to GSP (Gross State Product)

Figures for the year 2000-• 5.2 million domestic tourist arrivals, up 3.8

per cent• International tourist arrivals totalled 209,000

- international arrivals in Kerala have risen by an average 11.8 per cent per annum

5

Destination Branding

6

Brand India• ‘Eternally Yours’ campaign launched by

Oasis advertising agency in 1997• The campaign focused on spirituality and

traditional themes to appeal to the older audience

• Scripts looked like Sanskrit and the music was played on the Sitar

• However, Brand India’s efforts were dwarfed by the initiatives taken by individual states

7

Question 1 – Rationale, Method and Approach

adopted by Kerala• Poor prospects of manufacturing and

agricultural sectors in the state• Expatriate employment in the Gulf• Kerala tourism worked in tandem with the

tourism industry of the state• Top priority – the need to improve

visitors’ experience• BRDC formed in 1995 to develop the

backwaters and beaches at Bekal in an integrated manner

8

Contd.• KTMS organized KTM-2000, a high profile

promotional campaign at ICC, Kochi• Participated in trade fairs like ITB-Berlin and WTM-

London• First state to have enacted a Tourism Conservation,

Prevention and Trade Bill• Took up the task of improving wayside facilities,

boat terminals and jetties• Built a good waste disposal system for the

backwaters• Concessional power tariff for approved approved

star hotels, amusement parks, motels, restaurants• Celebrity endorsements• Insurance packages for tourists visiting the state• KTDC entered into MoU with IA and Indian

Railways

9

Question 2 – Marketing Strategies

• Kerala for long had remained a low profile destination mainly due to absence of historically significant places

• Rajasthan and Goa on the other hand, due to their rich historical and cultural heritage have been popular tourist destinations

• Geographical edge – vicinity to metros like Mumbai, Delhi

• This difference created the need for a different marketing strategy for Kerala

10

Question 3 – Brand India

• Lack of focused approach• Promotion efforts fragmented because of

individual states promoting themselves• Inadequate participation of states to

promote tourism• Destination branding for the country as a

whole required to package Brand India• Integration of promotional activities of

various states required

11

References

• http://tourism.gov.in/• http://www.keralatourism.org

• http://www.destinationbranding.co.uk/nationbranding.html

12

Thank You