THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Tourism has wooed the biggest of celebrities over the years, and has invariably been rejected. Still, like an incorrigibly optimistic lover, it has begun preening in the hope of finally picking up a partner. Kerala Tourism Policy 2017, approved by the Cabinet last week, states that a brand ambassador will be appointed soon. The state’s tourism mascot will either be a celebrity artiste, a Bollywood star for instance, or a sportsperson of the stature of Virat Kohli.
“We have not sounded anyone on this, but will do so after a round of discussions with tourism industry stakeholders,” tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran said. What is certain is, the ambassador will not be a global face like Jackie Chan or Steffi Graf. “The idea is to improve the domestic footfalls to the state,” he said.
Big names, however, have been traditionally reluctant to associate with the Kerala Tourism brand. All the celebrities Kerala had approached had either rejected the offer or have accepted it only to drop it in a jiffy. Some like the Brazilian footballer Neymar were even unaware of Kerala’s designs.
If in the late 1990s it was Jackie Chan, its last big crush was tennis legend Steffi Graf. In between, it had attempted to woo Amitabh Bachchan. The tragedy is, not once was the feeling reciprocated. It was during the tenure of the last LDF government, when Kodiyeri Balakrishnan was tourism minister, that feelers were sent to Mr Bachchan. In 2006, the then tourism director, Suman Billa, met the superstar in Munnar during the shoot of Ram Gopal Varma’s Nishabd. Nothing came of it. Later when Mr Bachchan expressed interest, the CPM politburo nixed it saying the star was promoting Narendra Modi's Gujarat.
In 2005, when Kerala Tourism was desperate for global visibility, kung-fu star Jackie Chan was seen as perfect. The Hong Kong-based global superstar was a frequent visitor to Kumarakom. Mr Chan is said to have declined the offer. Nonetheless, it is felt that a big name can enhance the value, if not of the entire brand, of a particular nuance of the destination. Ayurveda, for instance. That was how Steffi Graf came into the picture. Not only was she a universal icon but she was also a sporting great who had aged gracefully, making her a perfect fit for a lifestyle option like ayurveda. Though a two-year '3.9-crore package was worked out, the last UDF government failed to follow up on certain logistical issues raised by the tennis legend’s team.
