As Snapchat and Instagram Stories are taking off in the West as innovative tools for live interface, Kerala is planning to use its own live streaming technology to tap tourists’ experiential accounts of the destinations they visit. Considering its potential for tourism promotion in India, a group of young professionals from Kerala, with the support of state’s tourism department, is set to explore live streaming as a major campaign tool for the upcoming second edition of International Conference on Tourism Technology (ICTT) in Kochi.
Association of Tourism Trade Organisation (ATTOI), with the support of Kerala Tourism, will organise the three-day event at the Le Meridien Hotel in Kochi from June 8 to 10.
“Technology has become an essential part of tourism industry. Unlike other social media tools, we have noticed that the live feeds are getting more traction. It is intimate, engaging, bespoke and authentic than any other form of tourism destination promotions,” said Anish Kumar, president, ATTOI. In December last year, ATTOI, as a curtain raiser to an international conference, organised a live streaming of an underwater engagement to showcase beach resorts as a unique offering of Kerala Tourism. Over 25 lakh viewers across the world watched the video that was streamed live from the beach resort of Kovalam.
“The event was a huge hit as it attracted a large number of viewers across the globe. Looking at the audience and strategy, the campaign is focused on giving people a chance to explore a place before they embark upon their journey. This defines the changing dynamics of tourism,” added Kumar.
The seven experts who will be attending the brainstorming meet this year are Andre Chow (Singapore), Billy Taylor (New Zealand), Christopher Tock (Malaysia), Donna Mortiz (Australia), Lauren Cleland (USA), Nicky Kriel (the UK) and Pierre Marechal (Belgium).
The speakers will share insights on topics such as ‘Content and Search Engine Strategy’, ‘Digital Tools: The way forward’, ‘Online Destination Marketing’, ‘Travel Technology Trends in Future’, ‘Consumer Behaviour and Online Reputation’, ‘Social Media for Tourism’, ‘Online Tools’ and ‘Revenue Management’.
Around 500 delegates, comprising tour operators, hoteliers, resort owners, home stays, SEO (search engine optimisation) companies, software firms and social media marketing companies are slated to attend the conference.