In a first-of-its-kind push for Sports Tourism, Government of Odisha has take over buses in London to promote the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 and tourism in the state.

The campaign titled `Odisha by Morning, Hockey by Evening’ features branded buses showcasing the state as an exciting tourist and sporting destination. The state is known for being the `Cradle of Hockey’ in India with maximum number of playrs in the Indian hockey teams. The state further boasts of being the title partner for the Hockey Men’s World Cup while Odisha Tourism is the host partner for the event.

The Men’s Hockey World Cup 2018 is an exciting opportunity for the state to reveal its beauty, as thousands of fans from across the globe are expected to come in for the event. Through the campaign, the state aims to showcase that it is not just a sporting hub, but also an amazing tourism destination, a press release from State Sports & Youth Services Deparment claimed.

The bus advertising activity forms part of a wider marketing campaign for Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018. Vishal Dev, Commissioner-cum-Secretary to Government , Sports & Youth Services Department and Odisha Tourism Department said: ``The campaign is compelling combination of sports and tourism, which is exactly how we want to showcase Odisha to the world.’’

``This is in essence a Sports Tourism campaign and we decided to portray the same through interesting storytelling by talking about both interesting things to do in Odisha and the euphoria which the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 will create. I am positive that teams, fans and tourists who will come down to Odisha in November will relish the ambiance.

Bus advertising is a proven way of making an impact in busy city like London. Reaching right across the capital from the centre to the airport, the iconic London buses are an excellent way for travel, sports and tourism outfits to reach busy city dwellers who might be planning their next escape. The buses provide the perfect urban backdrop to offset the captivating natural beauty of Odisha.’’

Sachin Das Burma, director, Goddess Advertising said: ``Hhockey fans are anyway going to come for the event, but if we can excite their friends and family we would have done a good job. So, before the fans book their tickets, we have designed a campaign that showcases Odisha as a fantastic tourist destination, encouring them to come in huge numbers. Odisha has the wares, it’s jus a matter of showing them to the world.’’

``The creative idea is very simple. Because all the matches are in the evening, the fans have their mornings free. And that’s our opportunity. To tell the fans that in the mornings they don’t just have to hang around in their hotel rooms, but can experience the magnificent tourist places that we have to offer. In a nutshell _ Odisha by Morning, Hockey by Evening’’.