Bollywood Driven Tourism

Bollywood Driven Tourism

It began when famed Bollywood director Yash Chopra started filming song sequences in scenic Switzerland. The country became a hot honeymoon destination for well heeled Indians.

Bollywood is now fuelling a rising interest in India to travel to other exotic foreign destinations. Everyone knows that 'Lord of the Rings' fuelled tourism to New Zealand. But India discovered the country through the hit 1999 Bollywood film 'Kaho na Pyaar hai'. (Tell me this is love)

Realising this, various countries have been wooing Bollywood producers to film in their country. But in a first, Singapore Tourism is actually advertising a tour around 'Krrish' the latest Bollywood blockbuster about a masked Indian superhero, shot in Singapore. The tour is offered in association with Cox & King, Thomas Cook, Raj Travels and Orbit Travels and provides audiences an opportunity to 'relive' the Krrish experience in Singapore.

Other operators are also cashing in. Compact Travels is advertising special tours to Poland, particularly the Zakopane area where the recent Bollywood hit 'Fanaa' was shot. (the film is supposedly set in Kashmir). The film's director Kunal Kohli is not surprised. "This happens... There was a surge in Indian tourism to Amsterdam after I shot Hum Tum (Me & You) there."

Kim Jong-Min, CEO, Korea Tourism, recently said, "We expect Gangster, the first Indian film shot in Korea, to showcase our country's beauty." Incidentally, nearly 6.5 million Indians travelled abroad in 2005 and surveys reveal that they actually spend MORE per day than tourists from other countries as shopping is one of their favourite activities.

lolz yaar gud gud bolly is helping boost the popularity of of other countries

So basically if you want to boost tourism just welcome the Bollywood film industry with open arms and that will guarentee tourist numbers increasing. I guess it helps build relationships with other countries and equally allow them access into India.