THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Season three of Kerala Blog Express was set rolling here in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. In the next two weeks, 30 bloggers from 25 countries will travel across the state, visit the choicest destinations, savour the experience and write about them.
‘’The second season had 30 bloggers and was a success. We hope that the third season would help promote Kerala further,’’ Tourism Minister A P Anil Kumar said, flagging off Kerala Blog Express Season 3. An initiative of the State Tourism Department to showcase Kerala, the Kerala Blog Express was launched in 2014, as a two-week road trip targeting influential bloggers from across the globe in the global travelling community. The selected bloggers get to travel, and share their experiences online, recommend destinations and, according to the Tourism Department, also act as travel agents.
‘’You will see Keralites everywhere across the world. But we want the world to come to Kerala,’’ Tourism Secretary K R Jyothilal told the 30 bloggers who had assembled at Hotel Mascot for the flag-off. He added that beaches, backwaters and hill stations would be covered in the third season. ‘’I’m sure this is going to be a very enriching experience,’’ he said. Tourism Director T V Anupama, who introduced the bloggers, said that they will get to write about authentic Kerala experiences such as Kathakali and the Onasadya.
Some of the best-known travel bloggers have been selected for this year’s two-week adventure. According to the Tourism Department, this year more than 1,000 bloggers from 66 countries had registered for the event. Travel enthusiasts voted online to select the best 30. The selection was on the basis of nationality, number of votes, social media reach and quality of the blog, the Tourism Department said.
Participants this year include Carla Boechat and Patricia Schussel Gomes from Brazil, Rebecca Coutant and Brittany Kulick from the US, Els Mahieu (Belgium), Javier De La Cruz Valdemoro from Spain, Verushka Ramasami - a fifth generation Indian from South Africa, and Celine Simon from France. Nidhi Thakur, a Mum aiite living in MacLeodgunj, is the only Indian in the group. ‘’It’s going to be the trip of a lifetime. I’ve grown up seeing Kerala in the movies,’’ Nidhi (www.untravel.in) said.
Many of the bloggers in Season Three are avid travellers. ‘’I’ve visited 33 countries,’’ said Carla Boechat of Brazil, who runs the blog www.fuigosteicontei.com.br. ‘’But this is my first time to India and I’m excited to be in Kerala,’’ she said. Janet Newenham (http://journalistontherun.com) is a veteran of sorts, having travelled to 52 countries. ‘’It’s really cool to be the first Irish person to join the group. I think it’s going to be an amazing two weeks with so many bloggers,’’ she said.
Tsevetelina Tsankova (www.bettytravels.com): ‘’I’m sure after two weeks in Kerala we’ll come back younger and happier.’’ Mirela Surghie (http://extravita.ro): ‘’I’m the first Romanian to join the bloggers. We’re the country of Dracula, that’s the first thing that comes to mind. But we also love to travel. I’m looking forward to discovering Kerala.’’
Kerala Blog Express Season Three Flagged off
Tourism Minister A P Anil Kumar flags off Kerala Blog Express Season 3 in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday
An initiative of the State Tourism Department to showcase Kerala, the Kerala Blog Express was launched in 2014, as a two-week road trip targeting influential bloggers from across the globe in the global travelling community
The selected bloggers get to travel, and share their experiences online, recommend destinations and, according to the Tourism Department, also act as travel agents
This year, more than 1,000 bloggers from 66 countries had registered for the event. Travel enthusiasts voted online to select the best 30