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• Home » In The News » Kerala Tourisms Marketing Campaign Make Up For Lost Time Wins Pata Gold Award

Kerala Tourism’s marketing campaign ‘Make up for lost time’ wins PATA Gold Award

PATA Grand and Gold Awards recognise the finest contributions from the travel industry in the Asia- Pacific region.

Published Aug 26, 2023 | 3:37 PM ⚊ UpdatedAug 26, 2023 | 4:42 PM

Kerala tourism wins PATA award. (Official website)

Kerala Tourism has won the 2023 Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Award in the Marketing Campaign (State & City – Global) category.

The state won the award for its innovative initiative to attract visitors. Conceptualised for an audience transitioning to normalcy post-Covid, the “Make up for lost time, pack up for Kerala” campaign targeted domestic tourists.

PATA awards

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 would be presented at the International Exhibition Convention Centre (IECC), Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, on 5 October during the PATA Travel Mart 2023.

Tourism Minister PA Mohamed Riyas said the award was in recognition of Kerala Tourism’s aggressive promotional campaign to woo back tourists who were confined to their homes for a long period following the pandemic outbreak.

“Our campaign idea, ‘Make up for lost time, pack up for Kerala’, was simple and direct, and yet quite innovative, eloquently conveying the sentiments of the people during the transition to normalcy,” he said.

“The line also exhorted everyone to regain their fun and freedom in one of India’s best-known destinations,” Riyas added.

Kerala Tourism’s ‘Pack Up for Kerala’ campaign won the 2023 Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Award. Aimed at an audience transitioning to normalcy post-COVID, it exhorted everyone to regain their fun and freedom in one of India’s best-known destinations. #Kerala tourism — PA Mohamed Riyas (@riyasdyfi) August 26, 2023

Also Read: Kerala’s Maravanthuruthu won big at World Travel Mart in London

Targeting the transition.

Kannur beach. (Kerala Tourism/ Facebook)

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.

Tourism Secretary K Biju said the campaign played a key role in ensuring a massive uptick in the number of domestic tourists, and there were clear indications that the ongoing year would create a new record in the footfalls of visitors from within the country.

Tourism Director PB Nooh said that the international honour came at a time when the state has clocked a record in domestic tourist arrivals and there was a steady increase in the arrival of holiday-makers from all key markets around the world.

Past accolades

In November 2022, Kerala won a tourism award at the World Travel Mart in London.

Waters of Maravanthuruthu. (Kerala Tourism/ Facebook)

The “Water STREET” project undertaken by Kerala Tourism’s Responsible Tourism Mission at Maravanthuruthu grama panchayat in Kerala’s Kottayam district, won the award.

The award was for “conserving water and improving water security and supply for neighbours”. As part of the project, 18 canals, three rivers, and a backwater stretch flowing through Maravanthuruthu were rejuvenated.

Minister Riyas then said the Water STREET project showed the world that tourism could be a tool for water conservation if connected with local economic development.

STREET, or Sustainable Tangible Responsible Experiential Ethnic Tourism Hubs, is a “participatory tourism development project” and one of the major initiatives of the responsible Tourism Mission of Kerala Tourism.

As per the plan, STREET would be implemented in 10 specially selected places of the state based on the World Tourism Organisation’s (UNWTO) new tourism motto, “Tourism for Inclusive Growth”.

Also Read: Kerala in NY’s ’52  Places to Go in 2023’ list

On nyt list.

In January 2023, another feather was added to Kerala’s tourism cap.

A New York Times (NYT) article included, “God’s Own Country” in its ‘52 Places to Go in 2023’ list.

The NYT listicle, which ranked Kerala 13, also lauded the state as a “Responsible Tourism Destination”.

Speaking to South First , Riyas said, “ New York Times and other international recognitions are a big boost for our morale. In the last year, the number of domestic tourists coming to Kerala is at an all-time record.”

“In 2023, we will our push caravan, responsible and experiential tourism initiatives. This will be done with the active participation of the people of the state as we want them to feel that they are the hosts,” he added.

(With inputs from PTI)

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• Kerala News
• Kerala Tourism

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PATA Gold Award for Kerala Tourism 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Tourism has received the prestigious Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Award in the ‘Marketing Campaign (State & city - Global)’ category, marking a sterling endorsement of the state’s sustained efforts to devise innovative initiatives to attract visitors.

Kerala Tourism additional director (General) S Prem Krishnan received the honour from PATA chairman Peter Semone at the PATA Travel Mart 2023, held at the International Exhibition Convention Centre (IECC), Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, on Thursday. 

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.

Kerala Tourism’s award-winning campaign ‘Make up for lost time, pack up for Kerala’, conceptualised for an audience transitioning to normalcy after the Covid period, targeted domestic tourists. The campaign made a splash in all major media platforms, including print, radio, out-of-home advertising, digital videos and banners (web portals), and social media channels.

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Kerala Tourism launches ‘My First Trip 2021’ campaign to woo domestic tourists

Times of India TIMESOFINDIA.COM / TRAVEL NEWS , KERALA / Updated : Mar 26, 2021, 12:29 IST

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Kerala Tourism has launched a new My First Trip 2021 campaign to woo domestic tourists. Launching the Kerala Blog Express, Rani George, Principal Secretary of Tourism in Kerala said, “The trip will give the participants a chance t … Read more

Kerala Tourism has launched a new My First Trip 2021 campaign to woo domestic tourists. Launching the Kerala Blog Express, Rani George, Principal Secretary of Tourism in Kerala said, “The trip will give the participants a chance to not just visit the famous tourist destinations in Kerala, but experience the cuisine, culture, art and other popular activities around.” Read less

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Kerala Tourism has launched a new My First Trip 2021 campaign to woo domestic tourists. Launching the Kerala Blog Express, Rani George, Principal Secretary of Tourism in Kerala said, “The trip will gi...

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Kerala govt launches social media bidding game to woo tourists

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government is implementing a new strategy to attract tourists to the state by launching a bidding game called 'Holiday Heist'. The game offers vacation packages at significantly discounted prices.

Participants who bid creatively and effectively stand a chance to win a holiday in Kerala. This innovative approach aims to boost the tourism sector and attract both domestic and international travellers.

"Powered by WhatsApp, this unique game offers a thrilling bidding experience where the winners can effectively steal tour packages showcasing Kerala's globally acclaimed captivating destinations," a release issued by the state tourism department said on Sunday.

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The game revolves around the concept of 'lowest unique bidding' where participants will compete to secure tour packages with their lowest bids in a most unique manner, it said.

"We have unleashed Holiday Heist as an innovative tool to redefine tour package promotions, inspiring strategic thinking, creativity, and a spirit of adventure. "It's not just about bidding high, it's about bidding uniquely low to steal a package! As the exclusive WhatsApp campaign by Kerala Tourism, it also marks a historic milestone for tourism departments in the country," Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas was quoted as having said in the release.

The game is introduced through its official WhatsApp chatbot, Maya. Unlike regular auctions, this game emphasizes strategic thinking and creativity to showcase each player's unique style. Maya has over 1.5 lakh contacts and 3 lakh active conversations, making it a popular platform for users.

The game offers daily tour packages for 30 days, giving players a chance to win through smart bidding. With fresh opportunities every day, users can engage in the game throughout the month. In a sensational start, the online bidding game received 50,000 bids on its first day, with lucky winners securing packages worth Rs 30,000 for just Rs 5. To participate, players simply need to send the message 'Holiday Heist' to Maya and select the package of the day to start bidding. The winning bid is announced daily after 3 pm. To bid, visit this website .

(With PTI inputs)

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Caravan tourism: Kerala Tourism to launch aggressive national campaign to popularise the concept

After the success of its roadshows in europe and the middle-east, and various partnership meets in four major metro cities in india, kerala tourism has embarked on an intensive marketing drive to showcase and promote its caravan tourism initiative across india..

With easing Covid restrictions , the revival of tourism sector has become a priority. Caravan tourism is gaining popularity as it offers flexibility and freedom to the tourists by making sure that they are in a safe and comfortable travel bubble. After the success of its roadshows in Europe and the Middle-East, and various partnership meets in four major metro cities in India, Kerala Tourism has embarked on an intensive marketing drive to showcase and promote its Caravan Tourism initiative across India. It aims to enhance its reputation as a global destination and a safe holidaying hub both for domestic and international tourists. (Also read: Caravan tourism could be the next big travel trend amid pandemic )

A caravan is a customized stylish vehicle that provides a complete spectrum of amenities for a comfortable stay such as air-conditioning, sofa-cum-bed, TV, kitchenette with fridge and microwave oven, induction heater, cupboards, generator, dining table, toilet cubicle (bathroom with geyser), partition behind the driver, internet connectivity, audio-video facilities, charging system, GPS, motorised windows, and an awning that lets the visitors enjoy the weather outdoors.

Keravan Kerala is catching on the popularity and more than 1,000 caravans are plying in the state. Around 150 caravan parks will soon be developed as part of the government’s stakeholder and tourist-friendly Caravan Tourism policy, branded as Keravan Kerala, that was announced in September last year. This is evident from the expressions of interest received from entrepreneurs to run 280 tourist caravans and operate 148 caravan parks across the state. A caravan park has just come up in Vagamon in Idukki district while a few caravans are already plying in the state.

Tourism Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas said Keravan Kerala is an upfront initiative that has elicited a keen response from the industry with a large number of potential investors showing interest in setting up caravan parks and operating caravans in the state.

“The government has announced a comprehensive stakeholder-friendly Caravan Tourism policy to encourage this segment. It includes a subsidy of ₹ 2 lakh to ₹ 7.5 lakh besides the relaxations the Motor Vehicles Department gave to entrepreneurs to buy and operate caravans,” he said.

“The caravan policy marks a strategic shift to present the entire state before the global audience based on the concept of ‘exploring the unexplored’ round the year,” he said, adding: “It has the potential to become a game-changer for the state’s tourism that has suffered a crippling blow in the wake of the COVID pandemic. Hence, we have decided to launch an aggressive pan-India campaign to give it a huge impetus.”

Apart from the Benz caravan that was first launched in Kerala in October last year, Force Motorhome, Luxe Camper (of Bengaluru-based startup Campervan Camps), and Chhattisgarh-based Moto Glampers have since launched their caravan vehicles giving a variety of caravanning options to the discerning.

The state’s first Caravan Park -- Karavan Meadows -- was set up at the scenic Vagamon in the hill district of Kottayam. It has been developed by Adrak Hotels and Resorts and is managed by Citrine Hospitality Ventures.

The caravan park, on the other hand, features a restaurant with cooking and grilling facilities, private rest-house, housekeeping, round-the-clock individual service and campfire, among others. The state government’s policy entails development of these parks as private, public or joint ventures. A park, which needs at least 50 cents of land, should have space to accommodate five caravans at a time with facilities like food parks, rest rooms, activity area and drivers' lodge.

KS Srinivas, Principal Secretary, Kerala Tourism, said, “Caravan tourism has huge potential to attract domestic tourists, who have been the mainstay of the state’s tourism revival after the pandemic started tapering off.

“The new product offers the freedom of a languid, sustainable and responsible travel, with the utmost concern for hygiene, safety and social distancing. The initial demand in this niche segment is expected to come from domestic tourists and then from the inbound tourists who can savour the village life experience in a place where they are halting. It is designed to make tourism a sustainable activity that would bring benefits to local communities and also scale up opportunities for the industry.”

Tourism Director VR Krishna Teja said caravan tourism, which is directly linked to the state’s successful Responsible Tourism (RT) initiative, has gained wide acceptance among the tourists owing to the freedom and flexibility it provides, and offers a safe travel bubble from home to destination and back. “It offers a refreshing experience for them while local communities will gain substantially by showcasing their culture and products before the visitors.”

Abraham George, Managing Director of Intersight Tours and Travels, feels there will be a good demand for caravans as the recent trend shows that most of the tourists are coming as couples or families and they want to go to less crowded places. The travel company is currently designing hybrid packages that includes caravan tourism. “It will be a big hit with honeymooners because of the privacy and security offered by caravans,” he said.

Riyaz UC, Managing Director, Spiceland Holidays, feels that caravan tourism can be packaged both as a standalone product and a hybrid package. “It will give a much-needed fillip to tourism in the state which is yet to fully recover from the impact of the COVID pandemic,” he said.

Renowned as a trailblazing brand in terms of brand-new initiatives and engaging products, Kerala Tourism has with Keravan Kerala once again stepped the ante and is poised to roll the clock back and achieve pre-Covid numbers in terms of tourist arrivals.

• Kerala Tourism

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Kerala Tourism – God’s own country

I have traveled to Kerala multiple times on work, and my memories of Kerala had always been centered around the cuisine being the foodie that I am. However, it was in Kumarakom, while taking a vacation with family and friends, that the place completely took my breath away, and I started to relate to the famous tag line – “God’s own country.”

History Behind Kerala Tourism’s campaign of “God’s Own Country”

According to legends, Matsya Avatar, the first incarnation of Lord Vishnu, and Manu, the first man on earth and progenitor of humanity, were set in Kerala, thus affirming its status as the land of God. This status was further given a boost when in 1739, the then ruler of Travancore (now present-day Kerala), Marthanda Varma, decided to donate his realm and kingdom to the reigning deity, Lord Vishnu and announced that he would thenceforth serve only as a caretaker.

It was not too difficult for Walter Mendez and his team at Mudra Communications to take over from there to coin the now-famous tagline “God’s own country” for Kerala Tourism. This has easily become one of the most famous advertising slogans for any tourist destination and as destination marketing goes, Kerala has done a remarkable job.

Read: Top Brand Mantras and Principles of Brand Management

Kerala is blessed with breathtaking landscapes, from lofty mountains that spire upwards to break through the heavens to sun-drenched beaches repeatedly washed by laughing waves, from deep mysterious forests teeming with wildlife to placid backwaters meandering their way to the sea all evoking scenes of such unparallel beauty that you begin to believe in the catchphrase “Gods Own Country”. Not everyone can get away with such a boastful and smug statement if they weren’t confident of tourists walking away with wonderful memories after their holiday

This was when Indian families were breaking from the shackles a typical stereotype holiday, which meant visiting relatives or going to “home town.” This was also a time when a good section of the Indian population was getting the benefits of the economy opening up and more wealth in the hands of the average Indian. Indians now had that spare money and, more importantly, a mindset to reward themselves.  

Stories have enormous power. They generate empathy, are easy to remember, and most importantly are easy to share. With God’s own country campaign, Kerala Tourism linked the state with a concrete symbolic and emotional experience through a story.  

Leveraging the history while creating strong awareness of its current reality added authenticity to the campaign. Kerala tourism campaign made people a part of the culture/trend. Everyone now wanted to have tried the experience what Kerala Tourism promised. More the people came the more they wanted to share their experience with their friends and family, creating a ripple effect. Then the ads just became bragging rights. Travelers often feel proud of their journeys and sustainability often comes to play

Tourism is an antidote to Terrorism Amitabh Kant

This is classic destination marketing and Kerala Tourism seems to have done 5 things right

The product.

Emphasis on the natural beauty – Backwaters, mountains and beaches. The other factors that gave the state an additional boost are culture, food and more importantly – Ayurveda

Go to Market

The state managed to get all its stakeholders involved and energized. It is generally challenging to get the bureaucracy, especially in India, to cut through the red-tape and to align various departments onto one page apart from getting all hotels, restaurants, transport hubs, etc. to join in and wholeheartedly participate

Marketing strategy

Kerala Tourism participated in almost all the popular tourism trade fairs around the world. They then successfully convinced most of the tour operators to push Kerala as a destination. They also made sure that their communication was seen in all the major airports around the world.

Kerala Tourism also put a lot of information out there making it easier for a tour operator. This made them comfortable resulting in higher recommendations. (Remember this was still a pre-internet boom stage). They largely worked on ensuring perception met reality which is extremely important when it comes to tourism marketing. Check out below Kerala Tourism’s ad on Times Square.

Communication Strategy

Their communication strategy was brilliant: Breathtaking ads with stunning visuals were splashed everywhere – on TV, newspapers, magazines, and digital media. National Geographic even went as far as listing Kerala amongst the top 10 paradises on earth and one among 50 of the World’s top destinations.

After Lonely Planet called Kerala a true paradise on earth, there was no going back. Television shows and bloggers took over from there and influencer marketing helped in the influx of tourists, both domestic and international, into “Gods own country”

As Simon Sinek puts it “People don’t buy what you sell, they buy why you sell it”

Kerala Tourism did exactly that. They made people aspire to come to live a life of abundance. An abundance of beauty, food, culture, and experience for the soul. They effectively captured the audience’s attention by telling them why Kerala was the destination meant for them to take that holiday.

The message of the TV ad ‘Your Moment is Waiting’ is explained by Stark Communication

“It portrays the transformational journey of an evolved sensitive traveller through the landscape of Kerala — a journey that brings the traveller face to face with archetypal characters, her own self and her subliminal bond with nature. These are glimpses of delicate moments, and gentle epiphanies and deep insights that alter and enrich her.”

This new TV ad was a refreshing break from the beautiful but templated ‘beach, backwater and greenery’ theme.

Anyone who saw these ads took a vow to visit Kerala before they die. Travel to Kerala made it to the bucket list of most people who saw these communications. ‘Your Moment is Waiting’ won the Golden City Gate Award, dubbed the Oscar of the travel industry.

Stakeholder management

Stakeholder management was the key to the success as grandiose claims about a destination required someone to do the heavy lifting. Amitabh Kant who headed this initiative as Tourism Head got the project to slice through the clutter like the sleek Kerala racing catamaran in their famous boat races. He later went on to make “Incredible India” another destination marketing success.

Several state tourism boards tried replicating the same formula, but with limited success. The key element missing was stakeholder management and in some cases, they didn’t get the communication strategy right. They were unable to evoke the same aspiration that Kerala Tourism managed to imbibe into tourists. The usual destinations in India were Goa, Rajasthan, or Agra, but Kerala with its unique approach to tourism is a success story and how 0.5 million tourists a year to now a whopping 20 million a year is testimony to the brilliant marketing and advertising strategy of Kerala Tourism. Revenues from tourism jumped from INR 13,000 cr in 2008 to a whopping INR 45,000 cr in 2019.

The secret sauce that Kerala Tourism used was wellness brought about by Ayurveda that has now become synonymous with Kerala. This was a huge draw among tourists. With innumerable awards under its belt and having inspired all the tourism boards in India and abroad, Kerala Tourism realizing the need to constantly reinvent itself has now launched a new campaign to invite people over again, more so after the lull brought about by the pandemic. Welcome to Kerala: God’s own country

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Sundar Kondur comes with significant experience of spearheading sales and marketing in the media industry, He specializes in building brands and also selling to brands through storytelling. Storytelling blends real-life situations, experiences and weaves that into powerful learnings and thoughts that people can relate to. Sundar applies the logic of numbers with the magic of creativity to arrive at an optimal strategy to take on challenges, very often resulting in “Real Sales through Real Stories”. He enjoys collaborating with people from different industries to conceptualize creative marketing and advertising solutions and loves the fact that no two days are the same. My family and friends know me as a fun-loving and outdoors person, a lifelong foodie, who also spins stories.

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I am a reader from the corners, i read things that attract not only my attention but the way i seek any detail out of that craft does matters.I am absolutely impressed by the article written by Mr. SUNDAR KONDUR as i could find so much depth not just about the content but also how it has been given a twist to its tale and moulded like a storyline. Pictorials depiction makes you want to visit this place for sure. Truly the best article read for the day.

Thanks Pankaj. Appreciate your kind words. Do subscribe to TSS for great brand strategy stories.

Thank you Sundar Kondur for such an insightful story. A lot of unexplored facts and strategies been discovered. Specially the stakeholder management is a new learning for me. Kerala Tourism is a perfect example of a successful marketing strategy. The integration of Simon Sinek’s quote of “People don’t buy what you sell, they buy why you sell it” makes me speechless. One more important aspect that I have noticed after my tour to Kerala during 2018, a lot of feedbacks been asked by every stakeholders. Of course its quite common everywhere now a days, however the detailing of these feedback forms which I experienced after my Kerala tour was phenomenal covering almost every single touch poits that a tourist experiences. Which reminds me the famous qoute of Constantinos C. Markides, “Designing a winning strategy is the art of asking questions, experimenting and then constantly renewing the thinking process by questioning the answers. No matter how good today’s strategy is, you must always keep reinventing it.” Once again Thanks Sundar Kondur for covering so many unknown facts and Strategies. This story is indeed a huge learning for me.

Thanks Samrat. Appreciate your comments and am glad you had a personal experience exploring God’s own country. Cheers

Sundar is an Industry Leader and his insights into most things is exemplary . This post is possibly the best read on a narrative which encapsulates all the tenets of marketing . Kerala is indeed God’s own country and Sundar through this post has made it more refreshing . The lucid unjargonstic writing ensures ensures undivided attention to the last word. Thos forum is indeed privileged to get great contributors like SK ! Kerala rocks and so does Sundar

Thanks Ajay !! The narrative of Kerala Tourism lends itself to a success story. Appreciate your kind words

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• Kerala Tourism’s marketing campaign bags award

Kerala tourism minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas said the award is a 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.

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The ad film highlights the fact how important it is to connect with nature while enjoying the hospitality offered by homestay owners and discover the rejuvenating power of the gentler pace of life in their homes. In today’s busy, occupied and hectic schedules of metro cities Kerala Tourism offers a rejuvenating experience of Kerala homestays, saying there’s a room for everyone…

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Justice Devan Ramachandran said in an interim order that putting up boards, banners, and flags without addresses and phone numbers on them will be deemed illegal and stringent action should be taken under Indian Penal Code and Land Conservancy Act against the perpetrators...

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Indian Gulf workers: The unlikely voters parties are wooing for elections

As the southern Indian state votes on April 26, thousands are flying back from the Gulf to cast their ballot. Could they shape the election?

Thiruvananthapuram, India – The hum of conversation was replaced by a crescendo of high-pitched political slogans in the packed auditorium, as Shafi Parambil took to the stage.

The 41-year-old politician from the Indian National Congress launched into a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Kerala state Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. “Every vote counts and I need your wholehearted support,” he said as he concluded his speech.

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It could have been a typical campaign event – ahead of April 26, when the southern Indian state of Kerala votes in the second of the country’s seven-phase national election – except it was not. Parambil was addressing supporters in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, 2,800km (1,739 miles) away from Vadakara, the parliamentary seat in Kerala he is contesting.

And he is not alone.

The Gulf region, which hosts more than 2 million immigrants from Kerala, is witnessing intense physical and virtual election campaigns, with contestants like Parambil vying for their votes and community groups launching initiatives to help expatriates fly back to India to cast their ballots.

The Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC) is the biggest Indian diaspora organisation in the Gulf, with more than 700,000 members. The group plans to fly back at least 10,000 of its members to Kerala by Friday.

“We have requested our members who had gone home for [the] Eid al-Fitr holidays to stay back ’til the election is over. Our campaign urging eligible voters to go home and participate in the election has evinced [a] huge response from our members. Now, we have bulk-booked flight tickets to ferry maximum people to Kerala,” The KMCC’s Dubai chapter secretary, Hassan Chalil, told Al Jazeera.

The KMCC is affiliated with the Indian Union Muslim League, a prominent political party in Kerala that is allied with the Congress – Parambil’s party – in the state and nationally. The Congress, which is the principal national opposition party, and also in opposition in Kerala, is one of the state’s two big political forces: the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), currently in power in Kerala, is the other.

The “vote flights”, as KMCC officials describe them, began last week. “Many of our members have landed in Kannur, Kozhikode, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram international airports so far. The last flight carrying voters will leave Dubai on April 25,” Chalil said.

The group’s units in Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have also booked flights to take voters from Kerala home. Some of these country-specific chapters are offering free tickets, while others are promising heavy discounts secured after negotiations with travel operators.

Muhammed Niyas, an electrician in Kuwait, reached Vadkara in one of the “vote flights” on April 20. “Having missed the last two elections, I am keen to vote this time as this election will define the future of India. I want my country to remain secular,” Niyas told Al Jazeera, referring to concerns over the Hindu supremacist agenda championed by Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Last weekend, Modi alluded to Muslims as “infiltrators” and “those who produce more children”, pandering to stereotypes that his own government’s data does not back up. Muslims constitute 27 percent of Kerala’s 35 million population, nearly twice the national average of 14 percent. Hindus form 55 percent of the state’s population and Christians are at 18 percent.

Abdul Jaleel, who took a flight out of Dubai on Sunday, said nearly all the passengers on his flight were from Kozhikode, his constituency.

“Everybody was excited to be a part of the election. Our aim was to ensure a huge win for our candidate,” said Jaleel. “I took one week leave from my work to be a part of the vote. I will go back to work the next day of the polling.”

Kerala an exception among diaspora

Unlike many other countries, India does not have voting at its overseas embassies. That means members of the diaspora need to travel back to India to cast their ballots.

Most do not do this. Of the 13.4 million Indian citizens who live abroad, only 118,439 – less than 1 percent – have registered to vote this year, according to India’s Election Commission. And only a fraction of them will likely actually vote. In the last national election in 2019, of the 99,844 expatriate voters, only 25,606 exercised took part.

Almost all of them were from Kerala.

Migrant rights activists say this is in part because of the nature of Kerala’s society, where a strong political culture means there are very few voters who are undecided or indifferent to elections. But it is also the outcome of a concerted vote-gathering effort by a range of diaspora groups affiliated with different Indian political parties, who help vulnerable Kerala migrants when they need assistance.

When uninsured migrant workers need medical care, these community groups often step forward to bear expenses. They help workers settle labour disputes. Each of these organisations also has a wing dedicated to helping repatriate the bodies of migrants who die in the Gulf.

The Congress Party does it through entities such as the Overseas Indian Congress and the Indian Culture and Arts Society. Similarly, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) leverages its influence through a network of organisations, including Navodaya, Kairali, Keli, Kala, Dala, Sanskruti and Prathibha. These organisations too encourage their members to fly home to vote.

All 20 candidates representing the LDF participated in an online election convention held with voters in Kuwait during the second week of April. “The convention drew over 3,000 expatriates from Kerala,” said T V Hikmat, a leader of the cultural organisation Kala Kuwait.

Oman-based migrant rights activist P M Jabir told Al Jazeera the Kerala diaspora groups “provide immigrants the platform to discuss politics and participate in [the] democratic election process”.

“The outfits also encourage the expatriates to register as voters,” he said.

Parakkal Abdulla, a former member of Kerala’s legislative assembly who now owns businesses in Qatar, thinks the expatriates from the state are “worried about the future of the country and hence are rushing home to vote”.

“Many Keralites in the Gulf countries believe [India] has turned into an autocracy under Prime Minister Modi and they want to thwart his government,” Abdulla told Al Jazeera. Abdulla is currently in Kerala helping Parambil’s campaign.

But the motivations for the expat voters are not always purely political. For many, the election is a chance to reunite with old friends – a connection they sacrificed when they left home.

Since his arrival in Kerala earlier this month, Bhaskaran, an electrician who works in Qatar, has been campaigning for M V Balakrishnan, the communist candidate from the Kasaragod constituency. Bhaskaran says he used to be active in local politics before he left for the Gulf in 2016.

“I am here on a one-month vacation. This is a great opportunity to renew your lost friendships and meet younger people. The interactions give you a renewed energy,” he told Al Jazeera.

NRIs ‘being denied’ constitutional rights

Those who are not able to take the “vote flights” do not sit idle in the Gulf either.

Farooq Hamadani, the vice president of KMCC’s Kuwait chapter, said members of his organisation who are not going home to vote are canvassing for their candidates using technology and social media. “Our members will call their friends and family members regularly to ensure votes for our party’s candidates. We also have a social media cell to push content that is relevant to Kerala,” he said.

Diaspora organisations also help finance poll campaigns in Kerala. In the Nadapuram village of Vadakara, expatriate-funded hoardings feature Parambil, the Congress candidate, and K K Shylaja, his communist opponent.

Migrant researchers say the practice of expats – whether individuals or community groups representing them – spending huge amounts of money to use their voting rights does not augur well for the world’s largest democracy. In effect, said Irudaya Rajan, an expert on migration and chair of the Thiruvananthapuram-based International Institute of Migration and Development (IIMAD), this discriminates against those who cannot travel to India during election time.

“This is tantamount to denying the constitutional rights of a huge majority,” said Rajan.

The best way to tackle the issue, according to experts, is to implement a remote voting mechanism. In 2017, the Indian government, following a recommendation from the Election Commission, introduced a bill in parliament to allow Indian nationals abroad to appoint proxies to vote for them. Though the bill was passed in the lower house the next year, it lapsed in Rajya Sabha, the upper house.

“India depends heavily on expatriate contributions. Then why are the governments hesitant to involve them in the electoral processes?” Rajan asked.

India received $125bn in remittances from expatriates – the most that any nation received – in 2023.

“It should set up a foolproof system where they can vote from their host countries. It is the only way to give them their due,” Rajan said.