Saudi Arabia: India's Next Dream Destination & Generating 415+ Mall Walk-ins
Introduction
Akbar Travels collaborated with the Saudi Tourism Board to resolve this one challenge: despite Saudi Arabia's rich cultural heritage, stunning landscapes, and emerging modern attractions, the destination wasn't on the radar for Indian travelers. The perception gap was significant: Saudi was seen primarily as a religious destination for Hajj and Umrah, not as a vibrant tourism hotspot offering adventure, luxury, cultural immersion, and modern marvels. They entrusted us as the agency to handle everything—conceptualizing and executing a multi-city, multi-format campaign that would reposition Saudi Arabia as India's next must-visit destination through immersive mall activations and high-reach radio storytelling. So we launched a dual-pronged campaign combining experiential mall activations in Mumbai with radio storytelling across Mumbai and Bangalore, driving awareness, generating qualified leads, and transforming how Indian travelers perceive Saudi Arabia, from a single-purpose destination to a diverse, exciting travel experience. We had to ensure Saudi Arabia didn't just get noticed—it became desirable, accessible, and top-of-mind for leisure travelers.
Services
Experiential Marketing
Kiosk Design & Fabrication
Radio Campaign Production
Lead Generation Strategy
Insight & Strategy
Our approach was built on a fundamental understanding of Indian traveler psychology. People don't just book destinations, they book emotions, stories, and experiences that feel personally relevant. Understanding that Saudi Arabia needed to shift from "religious travel only" to "diverse destination for every traveler," we focused on:
Positioning Saudi Arabia Through Multiple Emotional Entry Points
- Recognized that different travelers seek different experiences: some crave adventure (desert dune bashing, hot air balloons), others seek culture (AlUla's ancient rock carvings, Jeddah's historic souks), while many want modern luxury (Red Sea resorts, Riyadh's futuristic skyline).
- Built the campaign around six core themes that showcased Saudi's diversity: Heritage & Traditions, Adventure & Desert Experiences, Coastal & Underwater Escapes, Modern Marvels & Future Cities, Festivals & Nightlife, and Art & Architecture.
- Addressed the accessibility barrier by highlighting Saudi's simplified e-visa process "Visa in your pajamas. 3 clicks. 14 days. You're in." making travel feel effortless and friction-free.
Creating Immersive Experiences, Not Just Information Booths
- Designed the mall activation as a Saudi gateway experience that transported visitors from a Mumbai shopping mall into the heart of Saudi's destinations through visual storytelling, interactive engagement, and instant rewards.
- Ensured every touchpoint delivered immediate value—from scratch-and-win prizes to professional chroma photos set against iconic Saudi backdrops—so visitors walked away with tangible memories and emotional connections.
- Built lead generation into the experience itself, ensuring every interaction captured qualified data while providing entertainment and rewards.
Leveraging Radio for Emotional Storytelling and Daily Reach
- Chose radio as the perfect medium for drive-time storytelling, reaching commuters during peak hours (morning and evening) when audiences are receptive to escape and inspiration.
- Crafted RJ-led narratives that spoke conversationally about Saudi's hidden gems, cultural richness, and unexpected experiences positioning the destination as relatable, exciting, and personally accessible.
- Integrated quizzes, trivia, and giveaways to drive active participation, transforming passive listeners into engaged contestants competing for trips to Saudi Arabia.
Execution
1. Mall Activation at Phoenix Marketcity, Kurla:
Designed and executed a 4-day immersive mall activation (October 30 - November 2, 2025) that became the largest installation activation the mall had ever witnessed:
Custom Kiosk Design & Fabrication:
- Created a premium, eye-catching Saudi-themed kiosk inspired by Saudi architectural elements, featuring vibrant branding and visual storytelling that attracted visitors from across the mall.
- Integrated dual LED displays—a 55" main screen showcasing dynamic destination videos (AlUla's golden rocks, Red Sea's coral reefs, Riyadh's modern skyline) and a 42" interactive touchscreen for visitor exploration of destinations, accommodations, and packages.
- Built the kiosk with sun-fabric on ply-mount for durable, high-quality printing and structural integrity, ensuring it commanded attention throughout the 4-day activation.
Engagement Activities Designed for Maximum Interaction:
- Digital Scratch & Win Lead Generation: Displayed prominent QR codes at the kiosk with incentive messaging, encouraging visitors to scan and participate. Every participant won a prize ranging from small branded Saudi souvenirs to discount vouchers (up to INR 10,000) for Saudi holiday bookings via Akbar Travels.
- Picture in Famous Saudi Destination (Chroma Photo Booth): Professional chroma screen backdrop allowed visitors to pose for photos that were digitally composited into iconic Saudi destinations AlUla's heritage sites, Red Sea beaches, Riyadh's skyline.
- Branded Giveaways & Merchandise: Premium luggage tags with Saudi Tourism branding, providing practical value while keeping the destination top-of-mind during future travels. Saudi-themed souvenirs and travel accessories distributed throughout the activation.
On-Ground Team Excellence:
- Deployed a proactive outreach team that went beyond booth management, personally engaging mall visitors and routing them to Akbar Travels' coordinators.
2. Radio Campaign Across Mumbai & Bangalore:
Executed a 10-day radio campaign on Radio One FM designed to reach commuters during peak drive-time hours with emotionally resonant storytelling:
RJ-Led Storytelling Scripts:
- Developed six core narratives, each targeting a different traveler persona.
Radio Production Elements:
- 4 quiz launch promos (15 & 30-second spots) to drive participation
- 4 RJ script kits + audio IDs for seamless on-air integration
- 4 on-air winner reveals creating real-time excitement and social proof
- Daily drive-time teasers (morning and evening slots) featuring "Saudi Capsules"—bite-sized cultural facts integrated with music storytelling
Results
Over the course of the campaign, our dual-format strategy transformed Saudi Arabia's perception and generated measurable engagement, delivering:
Mall Activation Performance:
- 415 walk-ins over 4 days, with strong engagement throughout the activation period
- Peak day footfall of 136 walk-ins (November 2), marking the highest engagement of the event.
- Qualified lead generation through digital scratch-and-win and photo booth activities, with all data captured for CRM and retargeting.
- Post-evening hours (after 5 PM) delivered the majority of conversions, validating strategic timing for luxury travel activations.
Radio Campaign Impact:
- 10-day sustained presence across Mumbai and Bangalore during peak drive-time hours, reaching commuters when they're most receptive to travel inspiration.
- Free trips to Saudi Arabia awarded to grand prize winners, generating aspirational social proof and word-of-mouth amplification.
- Six emotional entry points showcased through RJ storytelling, ensuring Saudi felt relevant to adventure seekers, culture enthusiasts, luxury travelers, and peace seekers alike.
By blending immersive experiential marketing, strategic kiosk design, RJ-led radio storytelling, and interactive lead generation, we didn't just promote Saudi Arabia to Indian travelers we repositioned it as a diverse, accessible, and emotionally compelling destination. Now, as travelers engage with Saudi's offerings, they do so with personal connections forged through stories, experiences, and moments that made the destination feel not just aspirational, but personally theirs.
