THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
‘Holiday Heist’, the month-long ground-breaking campaign conducted by Kerala Tourism to woo tourists through an engaging and thrilling bidding experience on WhatsApp, turned out to be a resounding success with travelers from across the country making a whopping 80,000 bids to visit the state’s prime destinations at unbelievably low prices.
The bidding game, conducted in July, also generated over 45 million impressions besides amassing a formidable 13 million plus video views.
The first-ever initiative of its kind in the country, some lucky participants, through their ingenious bids, managed to secure tour packages worth over Rs 30,000 for a mere 5 rupees.
Interestingly, throughout the campaign period, ‘Maya’, the Kerala Tourism chatbot, witnessed a remarkable 5.2 lakhs interactions, bubbling with shared enthusiasm, dreams, and aspirations as participants bonded over their love for travel in and exploration of God’s Own Country.
The unique game revolved around the concept of ‘lowest unique bidding’, challenging participants to secure incredible tour packages with their lowest and distinctive bids. Unlike traditional auctions, strategic thinking and creativity were at the forefront, celebrating the uniqueness of each player.
The exciting campaign was powered by ‘Maya’, Kerala Tourism’s official WhatsApp chatbot (reachable at 7510512345). Throughout the campaign period, Maya daily unveiled new tour packages for 30 days, providing participants fresh chances to triumph in each day of July. With 30 captivating packages up for grabs, lucky winners had the opportunity to bag a dream Kerala holiday.
“Holiday Heist will stand out as a massive hit for Kerala Tourism with the campaign redefining tour package promotions through an exhilarating game on WhatsApp. It successfully captured the attention and enthusiasm of travelers,” Tourism Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas said.
“It was the first-ever initiative of its kind by a tourism department in the country. We take pride in breaking new ground and setting an example for innovative approaches in the tourism industry. The campaign proved effective in expanding our network and fostering new connections. We warmly welcomed 41,000 new contacts into our travel community, solidifying our position as a hub for passionate travelers,” he added.
Tourism Secretary K Biju said the campaign revolutionized tour package promotions by inspiring strategic thinking, creativity, and a spirit of adventure among participants. “It stood out as a remarkable example of innovative tourism marketing, engaging people in an interactive and entertaining manner. Its essence lay not in bidding high but in bidding uniquely low, making it a game of skill and wits,” he added.
Tourism Director P B Nooh said that this innovative campaign has brought numerous unknown destinations and products with immense tourism potential across Kerala to the attention of travel lovers across the country and the widespread reach and engagement across India contributed significantly to the campaign’s spectacular success.
“The immense value offered through the campaign enticed people from various backgrounds to take part in the adventure, making it a win-win proposition for both Kerala Tourism and travel enthusiasts,” he noted.
Launched in March 2022, Maya has become a popular platform with over 1.5 lakhs contacts and has engaged in more than three lakhs active conversations.
