KOCHI: All roads are leading to Kerala now. And the state tourism department is looking to cash in. Beyond its usual practice of great marketing and other initiatives to achieve the much-needed visibility, the department has ventured to tap the hidden adventurer in the prospective visitor by hitting the over-the-top (OTT) waves in a big way.
For this, the department has joined hands with a dynamic young crew from the UK that will be taking to the roads in high-end cars, all the while capturing the scenic beauty, rich culture and traditions of the state.
The crew of the ‘Car and Country’ show, that’s all the rage in Europe, is being hosted by Kerala Tourism, which is making use of the opportunity to market the state on the digital platform in a big way. And the presence of Freddie Hunt, a professional racing driver and son of legendary James Hunt, who was the 1976 Formula One (F1) World Champion is certain to add to the experience.
At the wheel of the adventure ‘rush’, as the crew likes to term it, are Deepak Narendran and Ashique Thahir, two Malayalees who wanted to make use of the popularity of the show to promote Kerala as a tourism destination.
“We wanted to present Kerala uniquely,” says Deepak, a native of Muvattupuzha. “Our state has a lot to offer when it comes to tourism. It is a perfect package and we wanted to bring it to the world.” So, when the two discussed the proposal with the state government, the clearance was immediate. “The state government is eager to market the Kerala Tourism brand,” he said.
Tourism Minister Mohamed Riyas’ keen interest has resulted in the show turning its gaze to God’s Own Country to expose it like never before to the outside world.
Though the Kerala episode of the show is yet to be named, Deepak says, “Unlike the episodes on England, France, and Scotland that were tagged ‘Rush’, this one might be called ‘Kerala’. And why not? Kerala is in itself the brand!” According to Ashique, co-producer and host of the show, it will be a high-octane show.
“Everything will be at a great pace. Just like a Formula I race,” he said. “It’s both a travel and adventure show with Freddie throwing in his passion and speed into the ring,” Ashique said. Deepak launched the show in 2014 and Ashique teamed up with him in the later episodes. It slipped into a two-year break due to the pandemic before re-emerging last year.
The new edition of the show will feature Kerala’s quintessential varieties like kalarippayattu, kathakali, houseboats, snake-boat races, its local delicacies, majestic hills, backwaters, paddy fields and tea plantations. “There is so much to show,” says Sammy Seeley, film director, who has joined the crew. “Things are moving in such a way that the planned one episode might get extended to two!” he added.
According to Deepak, though the show is aired primarily by Amazon Prime in the UK only, the producers are in talks with other OTT platforms to get worldwide visibility. “A lot of things are planned. We will be working to get the visibility needed for people to notice the Kerala Tourism brand.
It will happen through our ads via social media marketing strategies planned and executed by our PR agency Ferg & Friends. Two one-minute videos of very high production value showcasing Kerala as a spectacular destination, and full video usage rights of the same also have been planned,” said Deepak. The itinerary of the shoot will see the crew travelling to Alappuzha from Kochi and then onwards to Kozhikode and finally Wayanad, Deepak said.