The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has officially unveiled the winners of the 2023 PATA Gold Awards on August 24, 2023. In a rousing endorsement of its innovative initiative to attract visitors to the state, Kerala Tourism has won the Gold Award in the category of ‘Marketing Campaign (State & city – Global)’, and SriLankan Airlines bagged the coveted award in the Marketing – Carrier category for it’s Around the Island campaign, while SOTC Travel Ltd.’s ‘Kickstarting Travel Again & Connecting Diverse Indian Travelers’ takes the spotlight in the Marketing – Industry category.”
This year’s PATA Gold awards spotlight the outstanding accomplishments of 23 distinct organizations and individuals in the travel and tourism industry. Apart from Kerala Tourism and SOTC Travels Among the distinguished recipients are entities such as the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA), Galaxy Entertainment Group, Hong Kong Tourism Board, Incheon Tourism Organization, Jeju Tourism Organization, Kerala Tourism, Korea Tourism Organization, MGM China, Nepal Tourism Board, Sabah Tourism Board, Sands China Limited, Sivatel Bangkok Hotel, SriLankan Airlines, SOTC Travel Ltd, Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Tourism Fiji, and TTG Asia Media Pte Ltd.
Conceptualized for an audience transitioning to normalcy, post-COVID, the state’s award-winning campaign ‘Make up for lost time, pack up for Kerala’ targeted domestic tourists, and it made a splash in all major media platforms, including print, radio, OOH, digital videos and banners (web portals), and social media channels.
Set up in 1984, the PATA Grand and Gold Awards recognise the finest contributions from the travel industry in the Asia- Pacific region with the winning projects consistently creating benchmarks for excellence and creativity. The prestigious award will be presented at the International Exhibition Convention Centre (IECC), Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, on October 5 during the PATA Travel Mart 2023 which runs from October 4 to 6.
Mr. P.A. Mohamed Riyas, Minister for Tourism, Kerala said the award is a sterling recognition of Kerala Tourism’s aggressive promotional campaign to woo back tourists who were cooped up inside their homes for a long period following the pandemic outbreak.
“Our campaign idea, ‘Make up for a lost time, pack up for Kerala’, was simple and direct, and yet quite innovative, eloquently conveying the sentiments of people during the transition to normalcy. There was regret about the immediate past and a determination to live life to the fullest – and to do so immediately,” the minister said. “The line also exhorted everyone to regain their fun and freedom in one of India’s best-known destinations,” Mr. Riyas added.
The campaign signalled a major shift by targeting the young crowd, exhorting them to savour the beauty of Kerala in a natural setting, be it adventure or leisure. This was evident in a range of captivating videos: a young couple indulging in adventure activities, a girl draped in a Kerala sari careening through a village road on a skateboard, a group of young backpackers enjoying tea at a roadside stall, a family enjoying the serenity of the hills.
Mr. K Biju IAS, Secretary of Kerala Tourism said the campaign played a key role in ensuring a massive uptick in the number of domestic tourists, and there are clear indications that the ongoing year would create a new record in the footfalls of visitors from within the country.
Mr. P B Nooh IAS, Director, Kerala Tourism said it is significant this international honour has been bestowed on Kerala Tourism at a time when the state has clocked a record in domestic tourist arrivals and there is a steady increase in the arrival of holiday-makers from all key markets around the world.
In the Marketing category, MGM China, Macao, China, received the prestigious PATA Gold Award 2023 Grand Title for its “Turning A Traditional Cultural Symbol Into A Marketing Catalyst” campaign. A decade ago, MGM initiated the Lion IP brand strategy with the first-ever Lion Dance Championship, leveraging the lion dance, an internationally recognized icon of Lingnan culture, to create a long-term brand engagement strategy. They introduced the concept of “tourism+” centered around local culture under the Lion IP strategy, injecting new vitality with modern techniques. This approach transformed the lion dance into a powerful cultural symbol embraced by audiences of all ages, transcending generations and regions. The strategy’s success resonates with both local and global audiences, reinvigorating not only MGM but also the city of Macau.
In the Sustainability and Social Responsibility category, Waterbom Bali, Indonesia, was honored with the PATA Gold Award 2023 Grand Title for its groundbreaking ‘Karmic Returns’ program. The renowned waterpark, located in Bali, Indonesia, leads the way in sustainability practices. Achieving carbon neutrality in 2017, Waterbom set ambitious goals to become the world’s leading sustainable waterpark, focusing on waste, water, and energy reduction. The park’s ‘Green Team’ diligently monitors, records, and reports resource consumption, fostering a culture of ecological awareness among its staff. Waterbom employs various methods to conserve water, including rainwater harvesting and a closed-loop filtration system, while also replacing groundwater with recharge wells. The park manages its waste on-site, producing its compost for gardens and achieving a remarkable 97% recycling rate for materials in Q1 2023, reducing landfill waste to just 3.4%. Sustainability is deeply ingrained in the park’s ethos, influencing staff training and all operational aspects, highlighting Waterbom Bali’s exceptional dedication to environmental responsibility.
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