5 best Indian tourism ads with a story
A still from the Diu tourism ad
From showing rivers, mountains, monuments, forests and an occasional presence of a celebrity, tourism ads have now transcended to engage viewers with a story – the new destination ads aim to convert a dream into a reality.
What makes a good tourism commercial? We asked the filmmakers who have bestowed their proficiency in making destinations more coveted. The answers that came our way were absolutely in line with a travel cycle. It starts from dreaming to planning to booking to experiencing and then to sharing which again inspires others to dream. The stories associated with a trip remains alive than just those memories of the monuments or a boat ride across a river.
The travel and tourism industry in India contributes 9.6 pc of the GDP and its annual growth is predicted at 6.8 pc. The foreign tourist arrival in the country is increasing at a rate of 10.7 pc with 8.89 million foreign tourists in 2016.
As a matter of fact, tourism industry promotion under the emblematic theme of Incredible India has rightly gathered a lot of momentum over the past few years; however, the idea of engaging a traveller with a quintessential story has dawned upon the tourism boards in all good spirits. The states such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Telangana have joined in with unique video ads trying to capture the attention of travellers.
We have tried to short-list five unique video adverts that have gone beyond the travel videos or just destination commercials and have tried to infuse stories from the land to inspire travellers. Here’s a list of the five tourism ads that tells a unique story…
Kashmir: The Warmest Place on Earth
Depicting the stunning valleys of Kashmir would have been the easiest way out; however, the story of this couple going around the scenic locales of Kashmir with a cab driver will definitely make you feel the warmth. While safety and security in this north Indian state have always been a talking point, this ad beautifully captures the warmth of the cohort in the region blending it with the mystic landscapes of the valley.
Incredible India
Another campaign for the country’s tourism slogan, Incredible India, Prakash Varma’s ad takes the journey of a traveller to a new level of personalisation. Introducing a single traveller made the ad really personal and it turned out to be one of the most viewed tourism advertisement videos on the Internet.
Awesome Assam
The ad featuring Priyanka Chopra shows the various traditional and cultural aspects of the state that often got lost in translation. The ad has no specific story but traces an emotion of a tourist who just got back from her trip to Assam and why a visit to this north-eastern state will stay with her forever.
Kerala: Your moment is waiting
This campaign too was a Prakash Verma project released way back in 2010. This ad makes it to our list for the sheer brilliance in story-telling techniques. The ad was targeted at the international travellers as Kerala tourism wanted to attract travellers luring them with an anticipation of surreal experiences and some breathtaking landscapes coupled with a mesmerising music score.
Diu – Isle of Calm
Another masterwork by Prakash Verma, this commercial follows a woman who is transported from her hectic city life to the pristine locales in Diu. The Union Territory that hardly gets noticed in a crowd of diverse tourism destination in India could easily make an impact with this campaign. Anyone stuck in his or her otherwise busy life wanting a break in the lap of nature would instantly get inspired to visit what they call the Isle of Calm.
Have you ever travelled to a destination just because you loved the video-ad campaign? Share your story with us…
