Kerala Tourism wins at 2024 PATA Gold Award for digital marketing initiative

Kerala Tourism has been awarded the 2024 PATA Gold Award for its digital marketing campaign, ‘Holiday Heist.’ The recognition was given during a ceremony at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center in Bangkok, where Sikha Surendran, Director of Kerala Tourism, accepted the award from PATA Chairman Peter Semone. Kerala stood out as the only Indian destination to receive this accolade this year.

The ‘Holiday Heist’ campaign, launched in July 2023, featured a bidding game on Kerala's WhatsApp chatbot, Maya, encouraging participants to bid for tour packages by offering the lowest unique bids. The campaign garnered significant engagement, with over 80,000 bids and 45 million impressions.

P A Mohamed Riyas, Minister, Kerala Tourism, praised the campaign, describing the award as a reaffirmation of Kerala’s innovative strategies in attracting tourists. He highlighted that 'Holiday Heist' was a pioneering effort to entice visitors to Kerala’s top destinations at remarkably low prices, thereby setting a new benchmark in tourism marketing. The campaign’s success not only enhanced Kerala’s appeal as a must-visit destination but also bolstered the confidence of stakeholders within the tourism industry.

K Biju, Secretary, Kerala Tourism, emphasised the trendsetting nature of the ‘Holiday Heist’ campaign, noting that it significantly contributed to Kerala’s reputation as a leading tourist destination. The campaign's innovative approach and massive engagement demonstrated Kerala’s commitment to staying at the forefront of digital tourism marketing.

The success of the campaign highlighted Kerala's status as a leading tourist destination and demonstrated its commitment to advancing digital tourism marketing.