Quirky emojis, green monsoons: How Raj is rebranding its image
The state's social media pages aren't just selling destinations—they're creating a digital empire of humour, story-telling, and soul.
The numbers tell the story. Rajasthan saw 10.87 crore visitors in 2022. In 2023, that surged to 18.07 crore. By 2024, the count hit 23.21 crore. Domestic tourist arrivals more than doubled in two years—from 10.83 crore in 2022 to 23 crore in 2024—while foreign visitors jumped fivefold, from under 4 lakh to over 20 lakh.
Officials credit this to a simple shift- packaging heritage with relatability. "If we wanted to connect with today's travellers, especially the younger generation, we had to speak their language," said Daleep Singh Rathore, joint director, marketing and social media, Rajasthan Tourism. "This fresh, relatable approach is being carried out under a focused initiative backed by deputy chief minister Diya Kumari.
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It's about creating a mood, sparking curiosity, and building relationships with the audience through every post, every reel. That's where the real tourism journey begins," he added.
That "language" has turned campaigns into viral moments. On World Emoji Day, instead of the usual hashtags, Rajasthan posted an emoji on a Mirchi Vada—an instant hit. When Kerala Tourism cheekily claimed Superman would be powerless before its Kozhikode halwa, Rajasthan quipped back, "He'll gain more power here as our heat will charge him up!" Suddenly, tourism was a meme war—and Rajasthan was winning.
However, the strategy runs deeper than jokes. The team has been breaking long-held stereotypes, showing Rajasthan beyond deserts—through reels of misty lakes, green hills, and monsoon-perfect itineraries. Season-specific roadmaps and offbeat guides are making travellers rethink the state.
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