The Kerala Tourism has launched an online campaign to bring the world’s best bloggers to the State for an on-the-road experience.
The ‘Kerala Blog Express’ will be a fortnight-long road journey from the south to the north of the State on a branded luxury bus from March 1. Twenty-five top bloggers will be selected through an online voting on the website www.keralablogexpress.com, launched by the department recently.
Over one lakh visitsThe website has already received over 1,00,000 visits, with some of the top travel bloggers from the country and outside entering the race for the final selection.
The profiles of the participating bloggers are available on the website for voting by the public. The followers of the participating bloggers on social media such as Twitter and Facebook can also vote. The online voting will be completed on January 15 and the bloggers receiving the highest votes will be selected. A judging panel will also make a final review.
“This is the first-of-its-kind initiative in the country to attract the travel blogger community for a first-hand experience of our land and culture,” says Tourism Minister A.P. Anilkumar.
25 seatsEntries have been received from as many as 80 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Poland, Spain, Germany, Canada and Indonesia for the 25 seats.
Some of the world’s best-known travel bloggers such as Venezuela-born Marcello Arrambide and Romanian Cezar Dumitru are participating in the contest.
“For two weeks, Kerala will be transformed into the capital of travel bloggers,” says Tourism Secretary Suman Billa.
The ‘Kerala Blog Express’ will move through destinations such as Alappuzha, Kovalam, Varkala, Kumarakom, Thekkady, Munnar, Wayanad, Kochi and Bekal during the two-week journey. The bloggers will also get a chance to take part in activities such as boating in the backwaters, experience Ayurvedic treatment and watch Kathakali.
The participants of the contest have already blogged about the impending experience. “Kerala Blog Express would be a stepping stone to experience Kerala nature along with other travel bloggers,” wrote U.S.-based bloggers Veronica and David James in their new post after entering the contest.
