Aparna Gopan

-Founded and scaled Indias first womens surf hostel, building a trusted community brand around
safety, empowerment and slow wellness travel.
-Featured in Lonely Planet as a top women-led destination for solo travelers which also launched surf + wellness retreats within 12 months of opening, achieving consistent full bookings and repeat traveler retention.
-Created viral campaign content generating 6M+ views, with multiple videos crossing 1M+ reach,
establishing brand visibility across India, GCC & South East Asia.
-Operated as a founder-led marketing engine: content, UGC systems, creative direction, social growth, partnerships, and PR.
-Grew the brands digital presence organically with strong engagement and community participation.
-Expanded retreats to Sri Lanka, Thailand and initiated GCC expansion within the first year, positioning House of Surf as a global womens wellness retreat brand.
-Currently leading GCC expansion of women-only wellness retreats while maintaining full capacity to deliver marketing for Saudi-based tourism, wellness, lifestyle, and experiential brands.

-Conceptualized and launched the brand from scratch — naming, identity, GTM, content, campaigns.
-Directed Indias first unique record-holding 4x4 expedition, leading 55 participants + 18 vehicles across extreme terrain; secured India Book of Records + Asia Book of Records in 2025.
-Built complete digital ecosystem in less than 90 days, including social, influencer, PR and performance funnels

-Grew the main Instagram page from scratch→ 225K+, delivering 3× engagement uplift.
-Directed destination campaigns across Kashmir, Kerala, Rajasthan, Meghalaya, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Dubai & Bali.
-Led viral influencer launch campaigns for Bali, Thailand, Dubai and local Indian destinations with 8M+ total impressions across creators.
-Produced South Indias first VR tourism cabin launch, improving digital CTR by 300%.
-Oversaw full creative team: editors, designers, writers, videographers, and community leads.
-Managed influencer collaborations with top talent (Jumana Khan, Shehnaz Treasury, Saniya Ayyappan, Tanya Khaijow, Priya Warrier, Anaswara Rajan, Truly Nomadly, Travel with Sea Rats, etc.) reaching 20M+ audience.
-Drove performance tracking, campaign optimization, and content-led conversions, directly
contributing to record booking numbers in destinations like Kashmir & Bali.
-Directed multi-country content production across Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, Dubai and India.

-Developed performance-driven ad campaigns that improved CTR & engagement by 2×, strengthening acquisition funnels for wellness products.
-Wrote high-converting video scripts, performance ads, social media flows, and platform-native
content for Facebook, Instagram, YouTube & Google Ads.
-Collaborated with design, media buying, and product teams to optimize copy-to-creative alignment, directly improving campaign ROAS.
-Created content frameworks for retention, activation and education flows, supporting product adoption.
-Supported wellness influencer collaborations by preparing concept notes, scripts, and messaging
guidelines, increasing creator-led conversions and trust.
-Utilized A/B testing, copy performance analytics, keyword optimization, and funnel insights to refine campaign messaging.

• Directed influencer-led brand pivots during COVID, maintaining double-digit MoM growth.
• Produced Indias first VR A-frame cabin digital launch, achieving high viral traction.
• Designed international itineraries with copy, scripts, trailers, and content flows.
• Led creators, designers, editors, and UGC contributors to scale multi-platform output.

-Led PR, digital communication and outreach strategies for a flagship national government youth + disability inclusion project, increasing program visibility across state channels.
-Created impact-driven communication kits, campaign narratives, and stakeholder presentations that improved government and donor engagement.
-Built strategic media partnerships, securing state-level press coverage and amplifying awareness for project milestones.
-Designed storytelling frameworks, case studies, and success narratives used for funding, policy
presentations, and national-level documentation.

-Launched and managed the Trivandrum chapter of an award-winning cultural tourism company,
establishing new revenue streams through curated experiences.
-Designed and led high-value cultural tours for international tourists, embassies, hospitality partners, and corporate groups, achieving 95%+ positive guest feedback.
-Created scripts, narratives, and experience blueprints rooted in local history, architecture, folklore, and heritage, strengthening brand authenticity.
-Built partnerships with hotels, tourism agencies, and travel companies — increasing bookings and
visibility in a competitive market.
-Trained and guided junior storytellers on tour quality, guest handling, scripting, and narrative delivery.
-Improved operational efficiency by structuring tour routes, guest workflows, and experience quality systems that enhanced scalability.

-Designed and led experiential learning curriculum for participants across Africa, Asia & Latin America, strengthening global leadership and communication competencies.
-Managed the full production of two in-house newspapers, overseeing editorial planning, writing, editing, layout, and publication workflows.
-Facilitated modules in storytelling, gender communication, social impact media, and narrative building, improving participant communication outcomes.
-Collaborated with an international cohort, community engagement skills.
-Developed communication frameworks that supported changemaker-led social entrepreneurship projects across the globe.