Thiruvananthapuram: In a rousing affirmation of its strategy to connect with travellers through digital media, Kerala Tourism walked away with the coveted Gold Award at the PATA Gold Awards 2025 in the category of ‘Most Engaging Social Media Campaign’ for its groundbreaking Meme-led Makeover Campaign.
Organised by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the awards honour exceptional achievements in the Asia-Pacific travel and tourism industry.
“The recognition is a testament to Kerala Tourism’s innovative digital approach that blends humour, cultural relevance, and storytelling to spark meaningful engagement in today’s fast-paced online environment,” said Tourism Minister, Shri P A Mohamed Riyas.
With a cross-platform rollout across Instagram, Facebook, X, and LinkedIn, the campaign generated a total reach of 1.2 million and over 89,700 engagements, while also driving user-generated content, influencer collaborations, and viral success through relatable, Kerala-rooted humour. By turning traditional promotion into a two-way conversation, it showcased Kerala’s natural beauty and traditions and also set a new benchmark for interactive tourism marketing in the Asia-Pacific region.
“Recognising the growing influence of internet culture, Kerala Tourism embraced memes as a dynamic communication tool to connect with a broad spectrum of travellers, from Gen Z explorers to seasoned holidaymakers,” pointed out Tourism Secretary, K Biju IAS. The campaign transformed passive scrolling into active interaction, making destination marketing feel organic, relatable, and fun.
The Award will be presented on August 27, at the PATA Gold Awards 2025 Gala Dinner on the sidelines of PATA Travel Mart in Bangkok, Thailand. Founded in 1951, PATA is a not-for-profit membership association that acts as a catalyst for responsible development of travel and tourism to, from and within the Asia Pacific region.