KOZHIKODE : Malayalis residing in London are now being treated to glimpses of the serene backwaters of Alappuzha, even amidst the hustle and bustle of their daily commute. The Kerala tourism department has taken its advertising campaign global, with their ad prominently displayed on the iconic double-decker buses and tube stations across London. Emblazoned with images of the tranquil backwaters, the stickers adorning these busy London streets also bear the official logo Kerala Tourism.
The advertising initiative gained widespread attention when a 13-year-old Malayali boy, Ryan Ambattu, who resides in London, shared a video of the ad featured on a city bus via his Instagram account, @ryan.ambattu.manathoor. Ryan captured the video while strolling through London’s streets, singing a Malayalam song. The video quickly went viral across various social media platforms, amassing an impressive 4.6 million views on Instagram alone. “I’m proud to be a Malayali, and I’m proud to promote Kerala tourism,” Ryan said in a subsequent social media post.
Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas also jumped in by sharing the video across his social media platforms, hailing the department’s approach to promoting tourism in the state. “A new way of promoting Kerala tourism... our Alappuzha and Houseboat in London buses. Suggest new campaign ideas in the comment box that can be implemented in foreign countries,” read his social media post.
Meanwhile, the minister’s office informed TNIE that the department has initiated an extensive campaign across Europe to bolster Kerala tourism.
“The state used to witness an annual influx of 1.2 million foreign tourists in pre-Covid time. However, following the pandemic, the number declined significantly. Since assuming office, Minister Riyas has spearheaded aggressive promotional campaigns throughout Europe to attract foreign tourists to Kerala,” the minister’s office said.
“Besides the advertisement displayed on the London buses, we have installed static displays at London tube stations. The six-month-long campaign, launched in October 2023, has garnered a tremendous response. The influx of foreign tourists in 2023 and early 2024 witnessed a remarkable increase compared to previous years,” the office elaborated.