Kerala tourism ad wins award for conservation message

Kerala Tourism's print campaign on World Tourism Day encouraging travellers to save precious rain forests through their simple actions has won the 'Olive Crown Award' for communicating sustainability.
The print advertisement released on September 27 last year showing how a simple act like postponing a hotel laundry could help sustain rain forests, lifted the Award in the Press Services category, a state tourism press release said today.
The Olive Crown Awards, given by the India chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA), recognises excellence in communicating sustainability, it said.
The advertisement featured the state's pristine hills and forests on a towel with a message, "A simple act can wipe away more than you can imagine," seeking to remind travellers "to put our simple acts together, every time we travel".

Kerala Tourism Secretary Suman Billa said the travel and tourism sector in the state was committed to promote sustainable tourism with the co-operation of the visitors.
"We firmly believe in the partnership between travellers and the trade towards conserving and preserving our nature," he said, adding "it would take only simple actions by travellers to show that they care for nature."

The Kerala Tourism's campaign was chosen for the award from entries from several other Asian countries.
The State Tourism Department had also won national award for the Best Rural Tourism Project for Kumarakom's Responsible Tourism model for successfully linking local community with the hospitality sector for an eco-friendly tourism.

"Sustainability is at the centre of Kerala's tourism development model," said Kerala Tourism Director Rani George.
"We have been sensitising the tourism trade and travellers to the need for conserving Kerala's natural wealth and will strengthen our efforts in that direction.