Karan Johar goodwill envoy for British tourism in India

New Delhi, May 16 (IANS) Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar, who has hit films like 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' and 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham' to his credit, was Monday appointed the goodwill ambassador of Britain's national tourism agency VisitBritain's global 'Britain You're Invited' campaign. He says he loves Britain for its culture and variety of options for entertainment.

'Britain has a certain soul that film cannot capture. You have to be there to experience it. No matter where you're from or what your likes and dislikes are, Britain has not just a little something, but a lot for everyone,' Johar said in a press statement.

'Being a creative person, what I appreciate the most is the importance, respect, and attention given to the arts, be it West End theatre, the museums, the art galleries, or individual street performers, we all have a place here,' he added.

The marketing campaign aims to attract and invite people to visit and explore the destination.

'Britain welcomed over 366,000 Indian visitors in 2010, recording a 34 percent increase over 2009. Indian travellers spent approximately 358 million pounds during their travel to Britain, registering a growth of 33 percent over 2009. As one of our key growth markets in Asia, India was fittingly selected for the launch of our ambassador programme,' Sandie Dawe, VisitBritain's chief executive, said in a press statement.

Besides Johar, acclaimed Asian television presenter Asha Gill, and equestrian rider Alex Hua Tian were also introduced as goodwill ambassadors by the organisation.