Kochi: The state tourism department has sanctioned a national TV campaign costing Rs 3 crore to showcase Kerala as an art capital of India by promoting Kochi Muziris Biennale. The state has also earmarked Rs 63 lakh to produce the TV commercial. The department selected nine national channels including Discovery to air the ad. The state government feels that the first two editions of the biennale had placed Kerala on the global cultural map and boosted tourism and economic development of the state. Kerala is eyeing domestic and international tourists.
The department of tourism had proposed a marketing campaign highlighting Biennale which will attract travellers across the globe. The tourism director submitted a proposal for a marketing campaign in nine TV channels at a total cost of '2.27 crore. Discovery, History TV 18, Living Foodz, Star Movies, Sony Pix, Sony Max, Zee Cinema, NDTV 24x7 and CNN News 18 were selected to air the commercial.
A working group meeting held on December 21, 2016 under the chairmanship of principal secretary, tourism department, approved the proposal. The state later considered the proposal in detail and accorded sanction through a Government Order on January 10, 2017. K. Sunilkumar, under secretary to government passed the order on January 10, 2017. Kochi-Muziris Biennale is India’s first international Visual Art Biennale. It is an artistic cultural platform to showcase new narratives wrought by contemporary artists around the world.
