THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: ‘Holiday Heist’, the month-long campaign conducted by Kerala Tourism to woo tourists through an engaging and thrilling bidding experience on WhatsApp, turned out to be a resounding success. Travellers from across the country made a whopping 80,000 bids to visit the state’s prime destinations at unbelievably low prices through the programme.
The bidding game, conducted in July, generated over 45 million social media impressions besides amassing a formidable 13 million plus video views. In the first-ever initiative of its kind in the country, some lucky participants managed to secure tour packages worth over Rs 30,000 for a mere Rs 5 through their ingenious bids.
The exciting campaign was powered by ‘Maya’, Kerala Tourism’s official WhatsApp chatbot, which can reached at 7510512345. Throughout the campaign period, Maya witnessed a remarkable 5.2 lakh interactions as participants bonded over their love for travelling and exploring God’s Own Country. Maya unveiled new tour packages daily for 30 days, providing participants with fresh chances to triumph everyday. With 30 captivating packages up for grabs, lucky winners had the opportunity to bag a dream Kerala holiday.
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 of Holiday Heist, celebrating the uniqueness of each player. “Holiday Heist will stand out as a massive hit for Kerala Tourism as the campaign redefined tour package promotions. It successfully captured the attention and enthusiasm of the travellers,” Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas said.
Tourism Secretary K Biju said the campaign revolutionised tour package promotions by inspiring strategic thinking, creativity, and a spirit of adventure among participants. “It is a remarkable example of innovative tourism marketing, engaging people in an interactive and entertaining game. Its essence lay not in bidding high but in bidding uniquely low, making it a game of skill and wits,” he added.
Launched in March 2022, Maya has become a popular platform with over 1.5 lakh contacts and has engaged in more than three lakh active conversations.