Club Mahindra's new ad taps on pent-up travel demand

With the ongoing COVID vaccination drive and the number of cases falling down in most Indian states, many people have started travelling again. There are still COVID restrictions on international travel, but domestic tourism has witnessed pent-up demand.

Tapping on this demand, Club Mahindra, the flagship brand of Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India, in its new campaign, is trying to reach out to audiences who are eager to travel again after a long spell of being locked in their homes. The ad film, titled ‘Jaana Kahaan Hai’, features celebrity couple Soha Ali Khan and Kunal Khemu.

In the video, the couple is seen planning their next vacation. By dropping hints, they are suddenly caught guessing the destinations they have in mind. Both take equal turns and end up guessing the places where Club Mahindra has some of its most popular resorts, including Assonora in Goa, Binsar in Uttarakhand, Kanha in Madhya Pradesh, Naldehra in Himachal Pradesh, and Madikeri in Karnataka.

Commenting on the campaign, Pratik Mazumder, chief marketing officer, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India, said that with travel reopening and restrictions easing, there is an increased desire among people to start vacationing again.

“The mass vaccination drive, and highest safety and hygiene standards at our resorts is giving them the confidence to step out of their home with a trusted brand like Club Mahindra. With increased bookings and people opting for drivable destinations, the only thing left for our members and guests to decide is ‘Jaana Kahaan Hai’, which is what is aptly represented in this video.”

Despite the pandemic and travel hesitancy among people, Club Mahindra rolled out a number of campaigns over the last 18 months.

Through its previous campaign ‘We Cover India, You Discover India’, the brand welcomed guests back to its 70-plus resorts across the country. Launched in February 2021, the campaign was designed to encourage people to discover the hidden treasures of India – from mountains, wildlife to beaches.

In November 2020, Club Mahindra launched a campaign, called ‘Club Mahindra Family Premier League’. The brand identified eight kinds of family holiday personalities based on its consumer research and insights, and partnered with Indian cricketers.

In early 2020, when the COVID cases were at its peak in the country and travel restrictions were imposed to bring down the daily spike, Club Mahindra launched ‘India Dekho’ initiative. It called upon people to share their favourite holiday destinations in the country, and relive those memories once again, while staying indoors.

For this, the brand partnered with actor Ayushmann Khurrana, who was seen professing his love for India and its multidimensional attractions.