How Kerala Tourism markets peace through every travel experience

Recently, Kerala Tourism posted a picture inspired by The Beatles lead singer John Lennon’s song Imagine on October 10 on its social media platforms, including Instagram and X, with the tagline, "Imagine all the people livin' life in peace." The post marked Lennon’s 85th birthday, and featured five women artists, dressed in different traditional art forms’ attire, crossing a road, a depiction intended to symbolise coexistence and cultural expression. This outreach leveraged global memory to broaden the destination’s emotional appeal.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kerala Tourism (@keralatourism)

By weaving together the themes of peace, art, and cross-cultural understanding, Kerala Tourism not only honoured the memory of one of the world’s most influential artists but also reinforced India’s identity as a land that celebrates shared humanity through art, music, and travel experiences. That said, the tourism board employs the message of peace as a recurring theme in its promotional campaigns.

It has linked its destination marketing to global themes through its ‘Travel for Peace’ campaign, positioning the destination not only as a scenic location but as a centre for spiritual harmony and coexistence.  

What started it all was the foundation of Kerala’s branding. Its tagline, ‘God’s Own Country’, a term coined by Walter Mendez in the late 1990s, established the state’s reputation globally by showcasing the integrity of its natural products and unique wellness offerings.

With this campaign, the state tourism board linked the state with a concrete, symbolic and emotional experience through storytelling. Leveraging the history while creating awareness of its current reality added authenticity to the campaign. The campaign made people a part of the culture.

God’s Own Country, Digitally Reimagined

Through moment marketing, the tourism board connects with current events, consistently upholding its theme of peace. This agility allows the brand to participate in contemporary dialogue. An example includes a post referencing a hypothetical meeting, "Donald Trump meets Malayali men," where the context was used to strategically pitch travel as a path to peace during discussions related to the Nobel Peace Prize.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kerala Tourism (@keralatourism)

Similarly, the department used online chatter surrounding a stranded UK F-35B fighter jet to create a viral meme featuring a five-star review of Kerala, demonstrating the brand’s culturally in-tune voice. 

Alongside leveraging online chatter for viral engagement, the board has also turned to influencer-led initiatives to promote Kerala as a travel destination, particularly focusing on domestic tourism in the post-pandemic period.

The board launched ‘My First Trip 2021’, a domestic influencer-led campaign featuring ten Indian content creators to promote travel within the country in the post-COVID period. Unlike earlier editions of the Kerala Blog Express, which hosted international influencers, this campaign focused on strengthening Kerala’s domestic tourism marketing efforts post-pandemic.

In 2021, domestic arrivals in Kerala had grown 51% from 4.99 million in 2020 and reached 18.87 million in 2022, a 150% increase from 7.54 million in 2021.

A Tech-Driven Strategy

While Kerala Tourism has effectively harnessed cultural narratives and moment marketing to position the state as a symbol of peace and coexistence, its innovative approach extends beyond content strategy into the digital realm, where technology-driven campaigns amplify engagement and reach.

The board has operated as a forerunner in digital engagement among Indian tourism boards. 

Apart from its social media activities, the tourism board had also carried out a fully WhatsApp campaign called ‘Holiday Heist’ in 2023. It was a month-long gamified contest conducted via the tourism department's WhatsApp chatbot named Maya.

The interactive WhatsApp-based bidding game invited users to bid for tour packages to Kerala’s popular destinations at low prices. The campaign received around 80,000 bids, 45 million impressions, and over 13 million video views during the period. Some participants secured travel packages worth over Rs 30,000 for as little as Rs 5 through the bidding process.

Focus on Storytelling

Kerala is recognised for its diverse natural features, including serene backwaters, misty hills, and pristine beaches. Its core offerings are augmented by a rich cultural heritage encompassing traditional art forms (such as Kathakali and Mohiniyattam) and its established status as a centre for wellness, specifically Ayurveda and Yoga, which promote physical and spiritual peace. For instance, it has always promoted the state's culture, like the iconic boat races, its martial arts, and forests, among others.

The state’s tourism marketing history is characterised by the blending of this traditional, authentic product with modern campaign mechanisms. Early campaigns used traditional media, relying heavily on print advertisements in travel magazines to establish a premium, visually cinematic identity.  

With the shift to digital platforms, the focus transitioned to visual storytelling through video content, maintaining high production standards to reflect the cinematic appeal of the destination.  

The channel hosts various promotional series, such as 'Human by Nature' and 'Visit Kerala'. The department also provides royalty-free videos on cultural subjects like Mohiniyattam and Kathakali, encouraging content creation and third-party amplification.

The 'Visit Kerala' campaign was kick-started to garner new and retain the regular voyagers to the state, and also to make it popular among different target segments. The board recorded a total of 22,246,989 tourists (Domestic and Foreign) who visited Kerala in 2024, a 21% increase from the pre-pandemic record.

The TVC launch was supported by a 360-degree integrated communication plan including spots on top GECs, news, kids, and movie channels on television, followed by print ads, radio spots, and outdoor advertising. Social media was abuzz with the hashtag #VisitKerala to boost campaign promotion.

Kerala Tourism shows that destination marketing today isn’t just about showcasing landscapes, it’s about creating moments that resonate emotionally and culturally. By combining creativity, technology, and a deep understanding of its audience, the state has turned travel promotion into an engaging, participatory experience.