Social Samosa lists key fundamentals of content created through collaborations with influencers, publishers, and OTT platforms as seen in 2021, highlighting how they make an integral part of tourism communication strategy.
In sync with the Digital India initiative and the growing presence of government bodies on social media, tourism bodies are also accelerating their efforts to work with bloggers and new-age publications to promote their initiatives. While it’s not a new phenomenon, 2021 was a notable year for such campaigns as they are being initiated to woo an audience that has spent over a year at home. It is the dream of a post-pandemic vacation that makes them unique. We take a look at some of the prominent government-new media collaborations of 2021.
Kerala Tourism: My First Trip 2021
Extending the Kerala Blog Express invitations to ten domestic travel influencers, the 2021 edition of this long-standing Kerala Tourism campaign was called #MyFirstTrip. The participating influencers followed different itineraries for six nights and five days, producing exclusive content pieces for Kerala Tourism. #MyFirstTrip aimed to announce to the world that ‘God’s Own Country’ was open for tourists — and that all the COVID-19 protocols were being followed in the state. The earlier editions of Kerala Blog Express, which began in 2013, had only international bloggers and social media influencers.
In partnership with Travelxp, Madhya Pradesh Tourism set out to showcase the state's heritage, culture, adventure and wildlife destinations. Gypsies was shot earlier this year with influencers Krissann Barretto and Benafsha Soonawalla. Its narrative focussed on caravan travel, a new format of tourism that Madhya Pradesh Tourism, much like Kerala Tourism, has been promoting heavily. The hosts can explore local customs, engage in local adventures and drive through some of the best places in the state — while adhering to the COVID-19 protocols.
Chalo Chamba campaign was created by Himachal Pradesh Tourism as part of their 50 years of statehood celebrations. The main highlight of the campaign was the Rally of Chamba, an annual motorsport event organised by Brown Bear Motorsport in the district of Chamba in Himachal Pradesh. The expectation from the government here was that the participants would create and upload content around #ChaloChamba. Based on the three Cs — craft, culture, and cuisine — the campaign helped the state highlight the most picturesque spaces via social media. As part of the campaign, a mobile app was also launched.
Gujarat Tourism partnered with MX Player and MG Motor to create Hidden Taste of Gujarat. The five-part mini-series features Chef Smit Sagar's culinary journey of discovering the most authentic recipes and exploring different facets of the state. The show, in parts, is all about the ease of travelling the landscapes of Gujarat in an MG Motor vehicle. The five cities covered include Rajkot, Mangrol, Surat, Dwarka and Ahmedabad. Chef Smit visits these places, meeting local chefs to learn recipes and know more about how the dish came to be.
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Maharashtra Tourism & Curly Tales
In partnership with Maharashtra Tourism, Curly Tales has launched a new series — I Love My Maharashtra. It features Kamiya Jani's journey as she explores the various aspects of the state, through the lens of a traveller. Each of these videos showcases a different city in Maharashtra. Most of them prominently feature the 'I love signs that are commonly found across the country. These videos are being released on YouTube as well as the Curly Tales blog. A short version of each is being released on Instagram with a 'paid partnership' tag. All communication around 'I Love My Maharashtra' contains a CTA where people are directed to the Maharashtra Tourism website for more information.
Government bodies, especially those dealing with people-centric businesses such as tourism, are always quick to develop content through collaborations with travel brands, publications, and influencers that help them reach wider audiences. They pivot their strategies to match the evolving needs of their consumers and communicate with them on channels where they exist.
The strength of government-new media tourism campaigns lies in the merger of authority and expertise. A unique aspect about the recent ones, especially in 2021, is that they focus on offerings that people can experience as individuals. It is perhaps one of the most telling signs of how Indian tourism bodies are trying to navigate the impact of the pandemic.
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