Mobility paves Samsung’s silver path
The Korean giant’s early bet on mobile phones helped it hit the $10-bn mark in India, but in its 25th year it ...
Non-Resident Keralites (NRKs) can now invite friends from their places of domicile to their home State earn a free holiday for themselves.
The Kerala Tourism Department on Wednesday launched the ‘Bring Home a Friend' initiative for the Keralite Diaspora to promote the State as a destination. A unique ‘Audio Guide' was also launched alongside.
The audio guide covers all tourist destinations rendered in multiple languages and allows a visitor to receive audio tours of the State's tourist destinations on their mobile phones by dialling a dedicated number.
Both initiatives are part of the department's efforts to use technology to promote tourism.
The Tourism Minister, Mr Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, launched both the initiatives at a function where various efforts of the department at using technology for promoting tourism were showcased.
First proposed by the Minister at a conference of NRKs held in Kochi in December last year, the initiative allows Keralites living elsewhere to invite friends and colleagues to the State for earning reward points, which could be redeemed for their own visit to Kerala.
The initiative seeks to involve NRKs and Government-accredited tour operators. The department has already introduced an online system for accrediting tour operators and has created a Web-based platform that links NRKs and service providers.
Under the initiative, NRKs will need to first register on the homepage of the Kerala Tourism website ( >www.keralatourism.org/bhf/). The facility for registration of NRKs is already functional.
The first phase of registration process will continue till March 1 and NRKs who register will get early registration surprise gifts from Kerala Tourism through a draw of lots.
Once the registration is over, the NRKs can refer their friends to the same website. Each reference will be automatically forwarded to three accredited tour operators, who in turn will present their packages to the prospective visitors.
The system will automatically award an NRK who has thus referred a friend successfully points at ten per cent equivalent of the package value, excluding flights.
The NRK will have the advantage of redeeming the aggregate points by availing a holiday in Kerala or can gift this holiday entitlement to friends or relatives.
The scheme has been structured to provide an opportunity to them to promote tourism, Mr Balakrishnan said.
“However, we are keen that this is done in a professional manner and that is why we have decided to link this scheme with approved tour operators. We also want to utilise technology in the development of the tourism sector,” he added.
The tourism department has accredited 29 tour operators, who have been selected and considered trustworthy in conducting business by a committee comprising tourism industry representatives.
The audio tour guide service by Kerala Tourism, in association with MobME Wireless Solutions, can be availed by dialling the 10 digit number ‘9048755555'.
Vodafone has emerged as the technology partner and has offered server space, a dedicated line and number with user friendly IVR (interactive voice response).
The audio tour will enable the users to fast forward, rewind, pause and replay the description. The ‘Audio Guide' can be accessed from any part of the globe round the clock. Calls will be charged at standard call rates only.
All information will be available on the same platform, in multiple languages, including English, Hindi and Malayalam.
The Korean giant’s early bet on mobile phones helped it hit the $10-bn mark in India, but in its 25th year it ...
Antrix should adopt a different tactic than merely fighting over jurisdiction: Experts
Invest in relationships, enterprise, behaviour, effort and learning
From different types of osmoses to new membranes, researchers have come up with ways of drawing water
Will a stock continue its current trend or will it reverse? We tell you how you can read chart patterns to ...
Sensex and Nifty 50 saw selling interest on Friday and slumped; selling pressure could continue
Investors with a long-term horizon can consider this offer
Most AMCs have been sending out cryptic e-mails. We tell you how to read between the lines
In these isolated times when people yearn for a slice of the familiar, amateur and professional chefs are ...
Forget the tuna. The island nation will keep you full and happy with coconut, koftas and jasmine
This year, on Facebook, I saw that someone had posted a list of EASY RESOLUTIONS. I didn’t copy them down but ...
With strokes of quirky humour, Partha Pratim Deb uses pulp, terracotta, glass and discarded cloth to create ...
Digital is becoming dominant media, but are companies and their ad agencies transforming fast enough to make a ...
Slow Network, promoted by journalist-lyricist Neelesh Misra, pushes rural products and experiences
How marketers can use the traditional exchange of festive wishes meaningfully
For Fortune, a brand celebrating its 20th anniversary, it was a rude shock to become the butt of social media ...
Three years after its inception, compliance with GST procedures remains a headache for exporters, job workers ...
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives of companies are altering the prospects for wooden toys of ...
Aequs Aerospace to create space for large-scale manufacture of toys at Koppal
And it has every reason to smile. Covid-19 has triggered a consumer shift towards branded products as ...
Please Email the Editor