Seeking to cash in on the worldwide popularity of the film Life of Pi , which has been shot in Puducherry and Munnar in Kerala, the Union Tourism Ministry has decided to launch a full-fledged campaign based on the Oscar nominated film to woo tourists.
To promote Puducherry and Munnar as major tourist destinations, the government is to soon unleash the Land of Pi campaign across all media, including print, online, electronic and outdoor.
The Ministry has already announced special National Tourism Awards for Ang Lee, Director, and Yann Martel, author of the book Life of Pi , for promoting India through the film.
The Tourism Ministry is of the view that cinema is a powerful tool for promotion and development of tourism-related activity and it will undertake several initiatives for promoting film tourism through films shot in India.
Land of Pi posters produced by the government will enhance the image of the two places Puducherry and Kerala that have been showcased in the film and these will be displayed worldwide through India tourism offices overseas. These would also be put on the Incredible India website and the websites of the Puducherry and Kerala Tourism Departments.
Road shows will be planned to promote Indian destinations in China and Taiwan as. Director Lee is of Taiwanese origin. T-shirts and caps branding the two destinations of Pi will also be distributed as part of the massive campaign.
Luxury buses plying between Chennai and Puducherry and Kochi and Munnar will also carry the Land of Pi brand , with special tours and walking trails organised for tourists visiting the two destinations. Short films on the tourist attractions in Puducherry and Munnar which have been depicted in the film have been created and being put on Youtube and other social media networks.
The campaign will be in English as well as in French, German, Chinese, Spanish and Japanese languages.
