PANAJI
While Goa continues to rely on its traditional methods of attracting tourists -- think annual road shows and the World Travel Marts including the one in London -- Kerala has taken a bold leap forward.
Having launched an aggressive and visually stunning ad campaign, Kerala is outpacing Goa in the race for international tourists, at least in the UK where thousands of Goans reside. For over three months now, Kerala Tourism’s campaign has been everywhere -- from the side of London buses to the static displays in tube stations.
Its backwaters, sea and sand are the same areas of natural beauty that Goa also boasts. However, lack of marketing with the same finesse has probably put the latter on the back foot. “This isn’t just another travel promotion by one of Goa’s competitors; it’s a masterstroke in global tourism marketing. Goa should be worried,” said one of the travel operators.
Sources revealed to The Goan that Kerala’s campaign isn’t limited to London. It’s part of a larger, comprehensive strategy to capture the European market which Goa has been complacent about.
“It’s a new innovative way of marketing which Goa should also explore. The UK is an effective market from where we get more tourists, hence Goa should also try for more innovative ways,” TTAG President Jack Sukhija commented.
Former TTAG President Savio Messias has insisted on innovation in marketing strategies, particularly in targeting the right audience and clients. The veteran also criticized the current approach of the Goa government’s participation in travel marts stating it lacks seriousness required for success.
“Our participation in travel marts has not been successful because we are not approaching it with seriousness. It would be better to explore more innovative measures rather than relying solely on physical travel marts,” Messias stated.
He highlighted that effective preparation for such events begins months in advance, but this crucial groundwork is often neglected.
Goa’s biggest marketing move was a one-off billboard at Times Square, New York last year. Costing a massive Rs 1.97 crore, the advertisement coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US. Still, it seems to have had little impact as US citizens barely constitute huge arrivals in Goa.
Messias was critical of this promotion observing that for Americans, Brazil and South America's beautiful beaches are much closer. He questioned why they would choose Goa where beaches are plagued with unending issues.
Former TTAG president Nilesh Shah, however, has a different perspective on Kerala's approach to branding tourism arguing each state has its own marketing strategy.
“Every State operates with its own budget, and Kerala is a large State. There are various ways to market tourism,” Shah said quickly adding, “Adopting a specific strategy could benefit us. We need to enhance our social media presence and overall promotion. It's also crucial to send a positive message, as issues like taxi problems can damage our reputation. The government should look into it because transportation is the key.”
