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The Mega Opportunity for Destinations

Title Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations

Author MRSS

Date March 2018

Copyright No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form by photo, photo- print, microfilm or any other means without written permission of FICCI and MRSS India

Disclaimer The information and opinions contained in this document have been compiled or arrived at from sources believed to be reliable, but no representation or warranty expressed is made to their accuracy, completeness or correctness. This document is for information purpose only. The information contained in this document is published for the assistance of the recipient but is not to be relied upon as authoritative or taken in substitution for the exercise of judgment by any recipient. This document is not intended to be a substitute for professional, technical or legal advice. All opinions expressed in this document are subject to change without notice.

Neither MRSS India and FICCI, nor other legal entities in the group to which they belong, accept any liability whatsoever for any direct or consequential loss however arising from any use of this document or its contents or otherwise arising inconnection herewith. Many of the conclusions and inferences are specific inferences made by MRSS India in their expert capacity specifically in tourism sector and does not have any correlation with financing related outlook that as a research organization may have.

Contact Address FICCI Majestic Research Services and Headquarters Solutions Limited Rahul Chakravarty Chandramouli Guin Consultant,Tourism Head - Government Practice Federation House 1, Tansen Marg MRSS India Ltd. New - 110001 C-19, II & III Floor, D.D.A. Okhla Tel : +91-11-23311720-Direct/ Sheds, Behind Crowne Plaza, 23738760-70 (Ext.342) Okhla Phase I Fax : +91-11-23765333 New Delhi - 110020 Email : [email protected] Mob : +91-9810513326

For Further [email protected] [email protected] Information [email protected] [email protected]

Table of Contents

Executive Summary 7 Chapter 1 19 1.1 Introduction to the Indian tourism sector 20 1.2 Development of tourism Infrastructure 21 1.3 Government Initiatives 22 Chapter 2 25 2.1 Indian Media & entertainment industry 26 2.2 The Indian Film Industry 27 2.3 Film Tourism- the concept 28 2.4 Film 29 2.5 Impact of on tourism 29 2.6 ’s Influence on Tourism 31 2.7 Indian cinema exploring new destinations 32 2.8 Indian Cinema promoting hill stations in India 33 2.9 Indian cinema promoting sea beaches in India 33 2.10 Hollywood Movies that had scenes filmed in India 34 Chapter 3 37 3.1 Introduction 38 3.2 Film tourism in 39 3.3 Film tourism in 41 3.4 Film tourism in Delhi 42 3.5 Film Tourism in 43 3.6 Film tourism in 44 3.7 Film tourism in 46 3.8 Film tourism in Himachal Pradesh 47 3.9 Film tourism in West 48 3.10 Film tourism in 49 3.11 Film tourism in Jammu & Kashmir 50 3.12 Film Tourism in 51 3.13 Film tourism in Telangana 52 Chapter 4 55 4.1 Potential for Film Tourism in the Country 56 4.2 Key Drivers of Growth of Film Tourism in India 57 4.3 The Bollywood impact on international destinations 58 4.4 Immediate Areas of Improvement 59 Chapter 5 61 5.1 FICCI – MRSS 7 Point Road Map to promote film tourism 62 Bibliography 65 6 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations Executive Summary

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 7 Executive Summary

It is widely believed that nothing unites India more than Cricket and Bollywood. Given the impact of ‘Cinema’ on behavioral changes on audiences, it has in recent years emerged as a powerful tool for the development and promotion of destinations. In addition to the exposure provided through films, there are many ancillary gains to the destination like income generation, investment, job creation etc which contribute to the overall economic development of the respective destination.

Films are powerful tools to shape perceptions, create new ones and reinforce the old ones. Encouraged by the growth of international travel and the development of entertainment industry, film tourism is seen to be a growing phenomenon, which should be considered to be part of any tourism marketing strategy. Films can have an influence on travellers’ destination selection and thereby significantly to visitor flows. Films work as virtual brochures and offer more subtle way of marketing compared to traditional touristic campaigns. Place-placement, just like product placement, is seen as the ultimate touristic campaign as it gives access to wider markets, offers differentiation from competitors and can increase interest towards more unconventional touristic destinations.

India, in addition to being one of the leading film producing countries with the filming community spread across various regions of the country, also offers a diversity of landscape and locations in the different States / Union Territories, making it an appealing destination for production of both international and domestic films. Film tourism can be visualized from two unique perspectives: one, the aspect of producing and shooting motion pictures, and secondly, the tourism activities induced as a result of the movies shot in a location or destination. Cinema acts as a Pull and Push factor in tourism promotion. It helps in delivering and exchanging our cultural and historical

8 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations heritages to the next generation. Places covered during filming of any cinemas later becomes a tourist destination indeed this happens so because now a day’s people are more fascinated by cinemas and the celebrities in India. Film Tourism is also defined as a genre within tourism that provides a link with the location of a film or a TV series during or after the shooting. Film Tourism represents a gateway to new and more intense ways of experiencing destinations. At the same time, it creates the potential for new communities by way of an exchange of insights, knowledge and experience among the tourists themselves. In addition to the exposure provided through such films, there are many ancillary gains to the destination like income generation, investment, job creation etc. which contribute to the overall economic development of the respective destination.

It is a well-known fact that film makers are always looking for new and exotic locations to shoot, while

Tourism Boards around the world welcome film makers in order to boost inbound tourism. The story began in the 60’s with ’s Sangam (1964), which was perhaps the first mainstream film to be shot in Switzerland. This was followed by a wave of destination films such as, An Evening in Paris (1967) and Love in Tokyo (1966). Several destinations have gained in terms of tourist influx by being the location popular due to domestic and international cinema. Switzerland will always be recognized as the landscape for movies. UK has a tourism map, which highlights locations of popular Indian cinema while Spain has become the next hot destination for vacation with friends after a road trip film, .

Indian spending on foreign travel has increased many folds. While entire Europe and USA are still struggling to come out of recession, as per an estimate, Indian travelers are expected to grow to 50 million from 22 million. Indian outbound market is sending strong growth signals to the Tourism Boards and National Tourism Boards (NTBs) globally, who have been experimenting for novel ways to tap this market within their restricted resources. Recent studies by global researchers have established the positive influence of films, on people‟s travel decisions, especially to the respective locations and destinations featured on the silver screen. With its glossy and larger than life portrayal in the films, some of these destinations have successfully captured the imagination of movie goers and entice them to visit the places where films are believed to be shot. Tourism Boards have been encouraging to use films as a medium for destination promotion since a blockbuster has a longer shelf life in the minds and hearts of film lovers Indians. The Tourism Boards of many countries, such as Switzerland, have in the past targeted Bollywood to showcase themselves as destinations for high-spending Indian travelers. In India there are also ample opportunities for Inbound Tourism beyond popular destinations such as Goa, Kerala and Rajasthan. Indian films can be a great platform to showcase the country’s rich cultural heritage, variety of travel destinations and diversity in cuisine to the world.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Ministry of Tourism have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide strong support for Film Tourism to

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 9 give a fillip to the “” campaign and cinema as its sub-brand at various international film festivals and markets abroad. According to the MoU, the Ministry of Tourism will provide budgetary support for identified film festivals and offer single- window clearance permission to shoot films. This is expected to create a film tourism vertical that will promote India as a filming destination for domestic and foreign film producers. The following positive factors will certainly promote India as a location for shooting films: • Heritage and attractive locations o The world views India as a country with a rich cultural heritage and people want to get to know it better. o Worldwide, India is viewed as a spiritual destination. The movie Eat, Pray, Love showcased the spiritual aspects of the country to the world. o India has a relatively new visual landscape and innumerable unexplored locations that can be ideal locales for shooting foreign films. o Filmmakers can explore the country’s rich diversity, its various cultural groups and different terrains including beaches, deserts and mountains. • Availability of low-cost facilities and skilled talent o India can offer talented crew to assist in film-making at a comparatively low cost. o The country has world-class post-production capabilities including VFX, 3D and animation, which has led to an increase in outsourcing of post-production services to it. o India has well-developed post production facilities available at a low cost. A foreign producer, who comes to shoot a film in India, can complete his entire movie in the country, from shooting to post- production, to cut costs substantially. For example, Indian post-production company Prime Focus has worked on 200 visual effects for James Cameron’s Avatar, one of Hollywood’s largest “grosser” ever. All of the above could be a significant advantage to India if incentives are provided to producers.

Film Tourism has tremendous potential in terms influencing traveler’s decision towards destination which India can en-cash. It is evident from past incidence that different Country Tourism Board had been successfully pulled lot of Indian travelers with the success of the films which were shot in their country e.g. with the success of “Krissh” in 2006, Singapore Tourism Board had launched a special tour package named after the movie. Even neighboring Hong Kong Tourism Board planned to develop a dedicated tour packages with locales and attractions featured in Bollywood films. Britain got immensely benefited with Bollywood blockbusters like DDLJ, Pardes, KabhiAlvida Na Kehna and Namaste etc. Hong Kong has recorded a 24.7 per cent growth in Indian visitors.

10 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations Interestingly off-beat destinations like Fiji, Ukraine, and Israel expressed their keen interest in roping in the Indian films industry as well. Even the Latin American countries like Brazil and Colombia have been trying to woo Indian Film industry, despite logistic challenges, in terms of distance and lack of convenient air connectivity. Cuba has tasted its first success when part of EkTha Tiger was shot at its locales, capturing its rich lifestyle along with the scenic beauty.

Acknowledging the enormous impact of cinema on choice of travel destinations worldwide, different state governments in India have been actively redesigning their respective tourism policies to promote more and more film tourism. There have been quite a few initiatives to promote regional and Bollywood movies, also encouraging international film fraternity to look for exotic locations in various states of India. Few State Governments like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi, Odisha and Maharashtra are very much active in terms of promoting Film Tourism and have a clear cut policy / initiatives for the promotion of Film Tourism. The initiatives taken by all those leading states are narrated below: Gujarat The Tourism Department of Gujarat is aiming high to develop film tourism by creating state-of-the-art infrastructure besides promoting exotic locations. • As a pre-event of the high profile investment congregation, Global Summit in January 2017, the State Government had organised a day-long seminar on ‘Cinematic Tourism - the way forward’ on August 29 at Mahatma Mandir in . • The Department is aiming to attract film makers, directors from the state and outside to showcase the advantage of the state’s tourism policy and film making policy apart from the scenic natural beauty for film making. The state offers subsidy and financial assistance for superior quality Gujarati movies. • Film shooting at tourist destinations in Gujarat shall be further encouraged through single-window clearances along with necessary concessions as provided for under the relevant Government Resolution (GR). • Broad basing the existing tourism to curtail the seasonality in tourist arrivals through Cinematic Tourism as one of the options • Tourism department of Gujarat is aiming high to develop Cinematic Tourism by creating state-of-the-art infrastructure for filmmaking as well as promoting some of the exotic locations in the State. o The State tourism department has been working on making Gujarat a hub for film making which automatically promote Cinematic Tourism. According to some estimates, more than 100 Non-Gujarati feature films were shot in Gujarat during the last three years which includes movies in , Telugu,

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 11 Tamil, Bhojpuri and Bengali. In order to make the state more preferred and friendly locations for film shootings the state Government has decided to provide prompt and adequate facilities to producers who want to shoot films, T.V. serials, documentaries, advertisements and feature films at tourist, religious and historical sites, etc in Gujarat. – Respective Municipal Commissioners of Municipal Corporations, Police Commissioners, District Collectors, District Police Superintendents and Deputy Conservator of Forest will give official approvals for shooting. In the case of rejecting an application, a written reply with reasons shall be communicated to the party. If no decision is taken within seven days from an application received by the authority, the permission will be deemed to have been granted. – This deemed permission shall not apply for (a) monuments falling under Department of Archeology Survey of India (b) Reserve Forest, Forest or Sanctuary Area falling under the Forest and Environment Department. – No charges shall be levied for police bandobast at open sites and for shooting in open public places. However, applicable charges may be levied for water, electricity, utilization of buildings and others facilities. – Local permission of concerned Police Commissioner or District Police Superintendent shall be obtained for security clearances. Concerned Police Commissioner or District Police Superintendent will give due permissions expeditiously. If such a permission is not granted, or rejected within seven days of an application received by the authority, it will be deemed to have been granted. – If the Party requires a prohibition permit, the same shall be obtained from the concerned District Officer of Prohibition and Excise Department by the Party. Rajasthan • Films that are 75% shot in Rajasthan and given U certificates, will get a 100% exemption from Entertainment tax for one year. • Exemption of 50% Entertainment Tax for films shot at least 50% in Rajasthan. • Films that are minimum 75% shot in Rajasthan and have U certificate are 100% exempted from Entertainment Tax for 1 year • New multiplex cinema halls receive Entertainment Tax subsidy for 3 years (75% of 1st year, 50% for 2nd year, 25% for 3rd year) • Waiver of security deposit of INR 5 million for a one week schedule and INR 1 million per day beyond one week

12 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations • Waiver of processing charges of INR 15,000 per day for the first week and INR 10,000 a day beyond the first week • Waiver of application fee of INR 1,000 Delhi To promote Delhi as a film-shooting destination in the National and International Market, Delhi Tourism, in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, has taken various steps to facilitate the shooting of movies in the city. Delhi is in the process of introducing “Single Window Clearance” for film-making facility so that the legal formalities to shoot in the city can be performed by visiting only one Government Office. Several steps are being taken to introduce a smooth system for granting permission to Film Producer, to provide them consolidated information on instructions/ guidelines issued by various Departments of Delhi and Ministries of the Government, and to make film shooting a hassle-free experience. Odisha • Acknowledging the fact that Odisha has ample provisions to encourage film makers, necessary revisions have been included in state tourism policy 2016. The state invited the film makers to take full opportunity extended by Odisha Tourism to shoot their films here. Road shows were recently held in London and Berlin to promote , while there are plans to host similar shows in Australia and Asian countries. The department also plans to set up tourist centres in various countries and promote Odisha’s tourist destinations on social media. • Chilika lake Odisha Film Office is under the Office of Film Development Corporation, Odisha and Industries Department of Government of Odisha, Ministry of Industries, Its main duty is to provide infrastructure for shooting for Indian and foreign film productions as well as to create awareness of Konark Marine Drive and the unique resort Toshali Sands and its uniqueness and diversity in tern of its vast array of film locations, to promote Puri and Toshali sands as a user-friendly environment for filmmakers. • According to Odisha Tourism policy 2016, specified film tourism policies have been laid down in order to promote film tourism in the state. • To encourage shooting of feature films in important tourist locations and thereby highlighting different tourist destinations in the state, incentives equivalent to 75% of the actual expenditure incurred on accommodations in hotels of Odisha during such shootings shall be reimbursed to a ceiling of INR 10 Lakhs. • Special Single Window Clearance Committee (SSWCC) has been formed and will be the competent authority to sanction incentive for film shooting. • The much-awaited film city in Odisha where tourists would have Disney World-like experience would come up soon in Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon, Chilika.

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 13 The project born out of the ‘Make in Odisha’ campaign launched by the State Government for investment in the film production sector would be a reality when the film city is set up at an investment of Rs 5,000 crore on the Chilika shore. The film city would be built up in a total area of 1,000 acres, out of which 370 acres has been allotted so far for beginning the project. • Odisha, Toshali Sands, now has more to offer apart from exciting locations. As the resort has contacts with Studios, artists, art directors and independent filmmakers can now take advantage of local companies which have the ability to provide tools, techniques and services that allow them to refine and redefine their artistry. First-class film processing, post-production, sound studios, computer graphics, animation, distribution and much more are readily available at competitive prices. Most of the India’s largest facilities, including Deluxe Laboratories, Technicolor Lab, e-Film and others now offer full services here at Bhubaneswar Odisha is going to set to become one of India’s Bollywood for post-production. Maharashtra With being the entertainment and fashion capital of India, it provides an ideal destination for Indian and world Cinema. Along with the existing infrastructure in the Mumbai film city, sets in other parts of the state; the state aims to build further avenues in the form of film museums, theme parks, film city tours etc. to build this segment. MTDC has announced a Bollywood tourism plan, under which Indian and foreign tourists can take guided tours of film studios and sets while being exposed to a first-hand experience of film shooting. Major initiatives by the state government include: • Promote Maharashtra as an ideal destination for film shootings and gain from tourist influx by being the venue / location of popular domestic and international cinema. • Ease the intricate and complex clearance process, and incentivize film makers by providing them single window clearances and incentives to choose Maharashtra as their preferred destination choice for film shootings. • The number of permissions required for film shoots in Maharashtra was also one of the major concerns and hence simplification of procedures and Single window clearance mechanism for permissions pertaining to film industry is being worked upon. • An online registry mechanism will be of various services related to film industry will be established. • Creation of the Film Tourism Promotion Council under the aegis of ‘Maharashtra Tourism’. • Organize familiarization tours for major production houses in India and across the

14 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations globe for key tourist destinations in Maharashtra. • The DoT will decide the additional incentives basis on total number of dates allotted to shooting and canning of the film in Maharashtra • Marketing support for shooting locations in global film festival • Online portal for information on locations Key Drivers of Growth of Film Tourism in India have been depicted below: • Expansion and penetration of multiplex chains in Tier 2 and tier 3 cities • Investments by foreign studios in domestic and regional productions • Emergence of digital revenue streams in the form of Netflix etc. • Several attractive locations for film shooting • Low cost labour which leads foreign directors to shoot with talent crew makers in India economically. • Film Infrastructure availability in places specially designated to film production, also called Film cities. These Film cities consist of air-conditioned and soundproof shooting floors, custom designed set locations, digital film processing labs, dubbing studios and other allied requirements.

FICCI – MRSS 7 point Road Map On the basis of discussion with different stake- holders coupled with extensive desk research of both Central and State Government Tourism Policy the following steps are to be considered for promoting the those destinations by way of Film Tourism : I. Destination Dashboard & Setting Up Single Window Clearance

Few State Tourism Departments are very much proactive in terms of promoting this activity whereas there are few exotic locations which are not being highlighted. Therefore, it is important to highlight the tourism destinations across India & bring together all the relevant stakeholders on one common platform where they can share ideas to promote Film Tourism. Local people will value their States more when they see its uniqueness on silver screen. There will be multiple economic benefits to locals like shopping done by cast and crew, rent earnings from location given for shooting and Employment benefits for trained / skilled locals during the shoot. Therefore, setting up a Nodal Body (both from the Industry & Ministries) as a Single Window clearance for granting all permissions required by the production house with a strong linkage and relationship with the different State Governments for hassle free project implementation.

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 15 II. Introduction of Soft Loans:

The government may replicate the foreign countries’ film tourism incentives in India. It should provide film makers a short-term loan without charging interest to meet their short-term needs. This would encourage producers to shoot in that particular location, and would catalyze the growth of the tourism industry.

III. Location specific permissions

Film makers require approvals from authorities in specific locations prior to shooting. Location specific incentives can boost film shooting and help popularize the specific locations. Exploit the Digital Channel to disseminate destination success stories – The State has a wide array of Digital Channels, which can be leveraged to disseminate the success stories and this will generate strong awareness amongst target market.

IV. Safety & Security

Safety is also a major concern which needs to be address by the government, as increasing terrorist attacks and political disturbance hinder the growth of the industry. States should undertake various initiatives like setting up surveillance cameras, tourist police, 24*7 help lines, and compulsory registration of tourist guides operators, etc. to ensure safety of the tourists as well as the film crew. These initiatives may be highlighted by the states/ Central Government in various promotional campaigns to project India as a safe and secure tourist destination.

V. Investment in Infrastructure:

Inadequate infrastructure acts as the biggest hindrance to the Indian film tourism industry, and has been affecting its growth since past several years. Bad road conditions; poor connectivity; inadequate air and sea port capacities; and lack of development of modes of transports, like railways, and alternates, like inland water transport and domestic aviation, have been causing delays in the film tourism industry operations. Due to this, costs per film in the Indian film industry increases; and ultimately leads to disturb the planned budget. Therefore, there is an urgent need for investment in infrastructure linking roads, railways and airports, to curtail the losses.

VI. Leverage the power of data

Data and analytics are the mainstay of future. This needs to be leveraged and a dedicated insight session needs to be undertaken in order to provide relevant inputs to the state strategy team to streamline/ tweak Campaigns and attract more film producers to the State.

16 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations VII. Tax Incentives:

It is important to provide tax benefits and other incentives to film makers in order to attract them to a particular location. In India, because of absence or limited incentives, film makers prefer to shoot at foreign locations over Indian locations. Ministry of Tourism may regulate its policies to promote film tourism, and hence tourism in the country. Initiatives such as exemption or refund of VAT, rebate in production cost, free premiers, reduction or exemption of entertainment tax, etc. will certainly make a huge difference in Indian film tourism industry.

This report highlights the present scenario of film tourism in India, effect of Bollywood in film tourism for both inbound and outbound tourists, challenges and initiatives by various state and central government to promote film tourism.

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 17 18 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations Chapter 1 Indian Tourism Industry

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 19 1 | Indian Tourism Industry 1.1 Introduction to the Indian tourism sector Globally, despite the ever-increasing and erratic shocks from terrorist attacks and political instability, to health pandemics and natural calamity, Travel & Tourism continued to show its optimism, contributing direct GDP growth of more than 3 to 4 % and supporting millions of net additional jobs in the sector. For the sixth successive year, growth in Travel & Tourism outpaced that of the global economy. The growth rate from Travel & Tourism industry has not only outperformed the economy-wide growth recorded in 116 of the 185 countries covered by the Annual Economic Impact Research (including in major Travel & Tourism economies such as Australia, Canada, China, India, Mexico and South Africa), but it also register stronger than the growth recorded in the financial and business services, manufacturing, public services, retail and distribution, and transport sectors.

The Indian tourism and hospitality industry has emerged as one of the key drivers of growth among the services sector in India. Tourism in India has significant potential considering the rich cultural and historical heritage, variety in ecology, terrains and places of natural beauty spread across the country. Tourism is also a potentially large employment generator besides being a significant source of foreign exchange for the country. India’s Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) increased 20.4 per cent year-on-year between January-November 2017 to US$ 24.655 billion. The World Travel and Tourism Council forecasts Indian tourism sector, to grow at annual average growth rate of 7 per cent over the next ten years. India’s Travel and Tourism sector was also the fastest growing amongst the G20 countries, growing by 8.5% .

India’s rank in the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI), 2017 has also shown a 25 places jump from 2013. Rank of India in TTCI Report of 2017 was 40th as compared to 52nd in 2015 and 65th in 2013.In 2017 the tourism sector contributed 6.88% to the country’s total GDP and contributed 12.36% of the total employment in terms of jobs. The direct contribution of travel and tourism to GDP is expected to reach US$ 147.96 billion by 2027.

20 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations In the year 2017, a total of 16.97 lakh foreign tourists arrived on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 10.80 lakh in 2016, registering a growth of 57.2%.

Year FOREIGN TOURIST ARRIVALS in million Percentage (%) change over the years 2017 10.17 15.6 2016 8.80 9.7 2015 8.03 4.5 2014 7.68 10.2 2013 6.97 5.9 Source: Ministry of Tourism, GoI

By 2025, foreign tourist arrivals in India are expected to reach 15.3 million, according to the World Tourism Organization. Tourism’s contribution to capital investment is projected to grow 6.3% p.a. during 2016–26, higher than the global average of 4.5%. India is expected to move up five spots to be ranked among the top five business travel market globally by 2030, as business travel spending in the country is expected to treble until 2030 from US$ 30 billion in 2015 according to different industry sources. Thus international hotel chains are likely increase their expansion and investment plans in India, and are expected to account for 50 per cent share in the Indian hospitality industry by 2022, from the current 44 per cent as per the information available from The Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India. 1.2 Development of tourism Infrastructure Development of tourism infrastructure is being given priority to provide a better tourism experience to the tourists. Theme based circuits are being developed under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme spanning the entire country. A total number of 11 projects have been sanctioned during 2017-18 for a total amount of Rs.824.80 Crore. With this, the total number of 67 projects has been sanctioned till date for an amount of Rs.5648.71 Crore under this Scheme.

Holistic development of identified pilgrimage destinations is being undertaken under the ‘National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive’ (PRASHAD) Scheme. A total number of 3 projects have been sanctioned during 2017-18 for a total amount of Rs.98.84 Crore. A total number of 21 projects have been sanctioned till date for an amount of Rs.587.29 Crore under this Scheme.

Creation of ‘Special Tourism Zones’ anchored on Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) in partnership with the States was announced in the Budget for 2017-18. Ministry of Tourism has formulated the guidelines for implementation of the new scheme in consultation with the State Governments and Private Sector and is in the process of completing other formalities before launching the scheme. Creation of Special Tourism Zones would lead to overall development of the areas and offer diverse tourism experiences which would help in creating livelihood and improve standards of local communities living in those areas.

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 21 The has embarked on a series of initiatives to boost the tourism sector in the country:

Policy Reforms • Extended e-visa scheme to 161 countries • National Tourism Policy (Final) to be launched • Established Medical Tourism & Wellness Board

Infrastructure Development • Identified few circuits under Swadesh Darshan scheme to be developed as theme based tourist circuits • Identified 25 sites of religious significance for development under PRASAD scheme • Identification of 9 Islands as potential tourism growth zones • Development of Tourism in J&K with CFA of ` 2,100 crore

Skill Development • Set up the Indian Culinary Institute at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh • Launched ‘Hunar Se RozgarTak’ to impart tourism and hospitality specific skills among youth

Marketing & Promotion • Organized first ever Incredible India Tourism Investors’ Summit 2016 to encourage tourism investments • Launched documentary series ‘Go North East’ in partnership with Discovery Channel • Launched Incredible India 2.0 • Launched ‘Swachh Paryatan Mobile App’ for 25 Adarsh Smarak Monuments • 24*7 Multi-lingual Tourist Helpline 1.3 Government Initiatives The Indian government has realized the country’s potential in the tourism industry and has taken several steps to make India a global tourism hub. The government is taking several initiatives to encourage domestic as well as international tourism. These include policy/regulatory changes, infrastructural developments and promotional efforts. Some of the major initiatives taken up by the Government of India to give a boost to the tourism and hospitality sector of India are as follows: • Tourism and hospitality is included as one of the 25 focus sectors under the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, which aims to ‘transform India into a global design and manufacturing hub’

22 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations • The government has allowed 100 per cent FDI under the automatic route in the tourism and hospitality sector, including tourism construction projects — such as development of hotels, resorts and recreational facilities • The Ministry of Tourism (MoT) is focusing on driving tourism through branding and promotional campaigns, such as ‘Incredible India’ and ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ • The government is encouraging local involvement in tourism by promoting home-stays; it is also urging the states to make the licensing process easier for home-stays, and exempt them from service tax and other levies • Investment-linked tax deductions are provided for the development of new hotels with star ratings of two and above — allowing 100 per cent deductions towards capital expenditure • Striving to improve the ease of doing business, the Ministry of Tourism(MoT) has set up a website for online recognition of travel trade service providers • The government set up a task force for adventure tourism to resolve challenges related to the segment’s development and promotion in the country • The MoT continues to promote tourism through bilateral/tripartite agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with other countries and international organizations; India currently has 48 such agreements in place • The government launched the ‘Swachh Paryatan’ mobile application, which allows citizens to lodge complaints about uncleanliness in areas around selected monuments protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) • Over the past few years, the MoT, in collaboration with state/UT administrations, has been working on getting tourist police deployed at prominent tourist spots in the country • The government announced the National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP), which aims to improve regional air connectivity, make air travel affordable, simplify the processes and deregulate the industry • The ‘Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVOA) scheme’ was extended to 161 countries last year — to promote international inbound tourism.20 • The Government of India signed a loan agreement for US$ 40 million with the World Bank for the Uttar Pradesh Pro-Poor Tourism Development Project aimed at developing tourism facilities in the state.

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 23 24 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations Chapter 2 Film tourism – A product from the Media and Entertainment industry

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 25 2 | Film tourism – A product from the Media and Entertainment industry 2.1 Indian Media & entertainment industry The Indian Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry is high is on the verge of a strong phase of growth, backed by rising consumer demand and improving revenues from advertising sources. The industry has been largely driven by increasing digitization and higher internet usage over the last decade. The entertainment industry continues to be dominated by the television segment, with the segment accounting nearly 45% of revenue share, which is expected to grow further to 49 per cent by 2021-22. This is evident from the available data that Television, print and films together accounted for more than 80 per cent of market share Size of Major industry segments in value terms. The Indian media & 2.07% 1.80% 0.97% entertainment sector is expected to 2.44% grow at a Compound Annual Growth 4.71% TV Print Rate (CAGR) of nearly 11.6% to reach 6.09% Films US$ 3100 million by 2021 outshining Digital Advertising the global average of 4.2 per cent. The 11.27% Animation & VFX industry provides employment to 3.5- Gaming 4 million people, including both direct 44.24% OOH Radio and indirect employment in CY 2017. 24.03% Music

Notes: TV-Television, VFX - Visual Effects, OOH - Out of Home Source: Industry Estimate

26 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 2.2 The Indian Film Industry The Indian film industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.9 percent till 2021 to be worth INR 206.6 billion as per FICCI – Frames study 2017. At present, the film industry grosses a total revenue of Rs 16,600 crore US$ 2.5 billion, and it has grown at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of over 10% in the last couple of years. Despite the hurdles, the Indian film industry is the largest in the world in terms of number of films produced. India produces 1,500-2,000 films every year in more than 20 languages.

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The Indian film industry is dominated by the Hindi film industry contributing 43 per cent of the revenue. Other interesting trends like international/foreign films gaining share in the Indian industry, entry of international studios through acquisitions and collaborations, rise of regional cinema, digital adoption across the value chain, organic and inorganic growth in multiplexes and emergence of alternative streams of revenue are expected to shape the contours of the Indian film industry. In addition, factors like an increasing per capita income, growing middle class, rising demand from tier II and tier III International cities, diversification into international 7% markets, increasing ancillary revenue Other streams and more use of visual effects Regional (VFX) in movies can be expected to 14% drive the growth of this industry in the domestic market. Hindi, 43%

Economic Contribution of the Indian Telugu, Motion Picture and Television Industry 17%

India, in addition to being one of the leading film producing countries with the filming community spread across Tamil, 19

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 27 various regions of the country, also offers a diversity of landscape and locations in the different States/Union Territories, making it an appealing destination for production of both international and domestic films.

“A feature film is one of the most vital motivations to put a destination on the travel itinerary.” 2.3 Film Tourism- the concept Film-induced tourism is a kind of business that profits from attracting visitors inspired by beautiful sceneries of locations exposed in movie or drama and stories linked to the locations, through merchandising of filming sets or locations as a tour program. Film-induced tourism falls loosely under the umbrella of cultural tourism. Traditionally cultural tourists tend to be older, well-educated professionals looking to learn more about a destination’s history and culture. Film however, as a contemporary cultural tourism, appeals to a wider range of tourist.

Secondary Movie Tv/Internet Secondary motivational drivers Maps/trails promotions motivational drivers

Narrative/story Actors Seenery

Primary motivational Primary motivational drivers drivers Film Location Film setting

Combination of factors B A C Nostalgia

Film location Film setting

Music/film score Characters Emotional attachment/romance

Secondary Location Memorabilia Secondary motivational drivers tours Search for authenticity exhibits motivational drivers

A: Tourists who visit both film setting & film location B: Tourists who visit film location only C: Tourists who visit film setting only

Source: Authors own work Bolan (2010)

28 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 2.4 Film tourism in India

India, being one of the leading film producing countries with the filming community spread across various regions of the country, also offers a diversity of landscape and locations in the different States / Union Territories, making it an appealing destination for production of both international and domestic films. Indian cinema has been able to influence Indian Tourism both directly and indirectly. So basically the media & entertainment industry has influenced difference forms of tourism and aware of the diversified Indian landscape, language, religion, cuisine, dance, music and festival. Film tourism describes the effects that Cinema can have on our travel decisions as they inspire people to experience the screened places firsthand. Not only is Cinematic tourism an excellent vehicle for destination marketing, it also presents new product development opportunities, such as location tours, film museums, exhibitions and the theming of existing tourist attractions with a film connection.

The stages of Film making include pre- production, production and post -production. Both Production and Pre-Production stages involve extensive travel and shooting in exotic outdoor locations. These phases involves expenditure spread across various sectors such as equipment manufacturing to local labour to board and lodge as well as the various clearances that enable film shooting. 2.5 Impact of Films on tourism Indian cinema finally found mass global acceptance and strong platform at the turn of the 21st century where the world became a global village and the industry reached out further to global audiences. Apart from regular screenings at major international film festivals, the overseas market contributes a sizeable chunk to Bollywood‟s box office collections. Investments made by major global also were confirmed that Bollywood had etched itself on the global psyche. It has been noted that especially over the last couple of decades, an increasing number of tourists began to visit destinations featured through films, TV or any other similar way of visuals which are not directly related to tourism promotion campaigns.

Till sixties, Bollywood movies have traditionally been shot in the confinement of studios or in Mumbai. Gradually, it moved out to places like Kashmir, Shimla and , which became signature and favourite locales of actors and directors, like Shammi Kapoor, B R Chopra and I S Johar to name a few. This was indeed one of the major attractions of cine goers, due to the limited exposure Indians enjoyed at that time in terms of advertising and promotion. Post liberalization

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 29 in 1990s, with the growth of Indian IT and ITES industry, many of the employees from the middle class started going abroad for short term and long term leisure as well as non leisure trip. At the same time, Yash Chopra found a success formula with his block buster hit Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge(DDLJ), where Indian viewers got an opportunity to have a glimpse of Europe and UK from a touristic point of view.

Displaying the wide range of Indian history and its beauty through the cinemas right from the movie Alam Ara that centers on an imaginary, historical royal family in the kingdom of Kumarpur to Bazirao Masatni showing the royal story of the Peshwa King have induced tourism in the film locations widely. Cinema acts as a Pull and Push factor in tourism promotion. It helps in delivering and exchanging our cultural and historical heritages to the next generation. Places covered during filming of any cinemas later becomes a tourist destination indeed this happens so because now a days people are more fascinated by cinemas and the celebrities in India. Many people have been taken a trekking trip to Shimla /Manali after watching Ye Zawanihai Diwani whereas “Dil Dhadakne Do” has promoted the ship Curies to high heights. Ranbir Kapoor and , filmed Tamasha in Corsica, France which showcased the wide range of natural beauty of Corsica.

Forms and characteristics of Film tourism

Form Characteristic On-Location Movie tourism as primary travel The movie site is an attraction in its own right – motivator strong enough to motivate visitation Movie tourism as part of a holiday Visiting movie locations (or studios) as an activity within a larger holiday Movie tourism pilgrimage Visiting sites of movies in order to “pay homage” to the movie; possible re-enactments Celebrity movie tourism Homes of celebrities; movie locations that have taken on celebrity status Nostalgic movie tourism Visiting film locations that represent another era Commercial Constructed movie tourism attraction An attraction constructed after the filming purely to attract/serve tourists Film/Movie tours Tours developed to various movie locations Guided tours at specific on-location Tours of specific sites, often on private land set Mistaken Identities Movie tourism to places where the Movies and TV series that are filmed in one place filming is only believed to have taken that is created to look like another; of-ten in other place countries for financial reasons; known as runaway productions

30 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations Form Characteristic Movie tourism to places where the The movies have raised interest in a particular movie is set, but not filmed country, region or place, where the story is based, not where it was actually filmed Off-Location Movie studio tours Industrial tours of working movie studios, where the actual filming process can be viewed. Movie studio theme park Usually adjacent to a studio, specifically built for tourism with no actual filming or production taking place One-off Events Movie premieres Particularly those outside traditional sites such as Hollywood Movie festivals Many cities hold movie festivals that attract movie buffs and fans for the event 2.6 Bollywood’s Influence on Tourism While a picture speaks a thousand words, a video speaks a million! And Bollywood impacts almost a billion of its enthusiastic fans and followers spread across the globe. Films have been an integral to Indian household, since independence, when they were gradually accepted as a moral medium of entertainment for the family as a whole. In the centenary year of Indian Film industry, it is established that Bollywood has a big influence on Indians when choosing their next holiday destination. Once Indian films moved out of studio setting, locales like Patnitop in Kashmir had become a major honeymoon resort due to the umpteen love songs filmed there in the sixties and seventies. People from all over the country used to throng to Queen‟s Necklace at Marine Drive or Juhu Chowpatty, which symbolized Mumbai in films.

The 1974 Bengali flick, Sonar Kella directed by is another beautiful example of an outdoor set in the fort city of Jaisalmer that has pulled in PAN India audience. The landmark of the Bridge was the only icon of the city that was shown in various movies like , Kahaani, Bomkesh Bokshi and Gunday which gave an identical image to city. Similarly, the HawaMahal in was replaced by the Jaigarh Fort and Nahargarh Fort in the movies Ajnabee and Rang De Basnati respectively. The rock cut temples of , which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, came into the picture when and shot a dance sequence, “Dhadang Dhang”, for the movie Rowdy Rathore.

Internationally, Switzerland’s exposure in Indian films made it one of the most sought after destinations, for both film-makes as well as Indian tourists, in last four decades. Another Bollywood blockbuster of 2000, Kaho Na PyaarHai(KNPH), shot extensively in New Zealand, sent an unprecedented wave of Indian tourists there. Raj Kapoor was one of the first Indian directors to shoot a Bollywood film in an international location when he filmed part of his 1964 hit, Sangam, in foreign locales like Venice, Paris and Switzerland. For more than forty years, Bollywood’s producers and directors have favoured the pristine backdrop of Switzerland for their

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 31 films and made it a favourite international destination featured in Bollywood movies. Number of nights spent by Indian tourists in Switzerland, who travel mostly in summers, has gone up to 350,000 annually.

Another trend started with DilwaleDulhaniya Le Jayenge(DDLJ) in the 90’s, showcasing beautiful landscapes of Europe, from Britain to Swiss country-side. The horizon was further widen with Bollywood intruding into new territories like Poland and Finnish Lapland of Rovaniemi (Fanaa), Korea (Gangster), Victoria in Australia (Salaam Namaste), Brazil ( II), Scotland and Cuba (EkTha Tiger), Ras Al Khaimahin UAE (Deewane Hue Pagal, ), Malaysia (Don II) and South Africa (Race).

With the success of “Krissh” in 2006, Singapore Tourism Board had launched a special tour package named after the movie. It was the first big budget Bollywood film shot extensively in Singapore, highlighting its main tourist attractions like Sentosa Island, Singapore Zoo in addition to its skyline full of sky scrapers. Even neighbouring Hong Kong Tourism Board has plans to develop a dedicated tour packages with locales and attractions featured in Bollywood films. Britain got immensely benefited with Bollywood blockbusters like DDLJ, Pardes, KabhiAlvida Na Kehna and Namaste London. Hong Kong has recorded a 24.7 per cent growth in Indian visitors (Gursahani, 2008). Interestingly off-beat destinations like Fiji, Ukraine, Muscat and Israel have expressed their keen interest in roping in the Indian films industry as well. A rebate of 47% on local spend is offered by Fiji Tourism Commission to shoot at its 315 Virgin Islands (Novaro, 2011). Poland, where parts of the film Fanaa were shot, is making efforts to tap Bollywood production houses, realizing the power and influence of Bollywood‟s magic on Indian tourists. Even the Latin American countries like Brazil and Colombia have been trying to woo Indian Film industry, despite logistic challenges, in terms of distance and lack of convenient air connectivity. Cuba has tasted its first success when part of EkTha Tiger was shot at its locales, capturing its rich lifestyle along with the scenic beauty. 2.7 Indian cinema exploring new destinations Movie makers’ finds new places to capture in their film which are never seen or shownby others before. People get to see new places out of those many places become preferred tourist destination. On the other hand, the Tanot Mata Temple in the middle of the Thar Desert was first unveiled in J.P. Dutta’s Border. It is approximately 150 kilometers away from Jaisalmer city and close to the battle site of Longewala of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, and it is said that during war many bombs fall onto this holy land of the temple but none of those got explode is another good example of how the Indian cinema influences the Travel and Tourism sector in India.

32 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations Song ‘panchinadiyapawankejhoke’ from the movie ‘Refugee’ that was extensively shot in some of the unexplored areas of the “” in Gujarat.

Coorg is fast turning out to be one of the favourite weekend getaways from these days. But it was one of the unexplored destinations in India till the mid of 90s. The A still from Imtiaz Ali’s film Tamasha shot in Corsica film industry has played a pivotal role by filming many regional movies that helped the Indian Tourism to promote Coorg as one of the eco-tourist destinations in India. Several Bollywood flims like Ravaan and Saat Khoon Maaf were shot in Coorg. Today, Coorg is noted for its rich spice and coffee plantations and tourist spots like TalaCauveri, Bagamandala, Madikeri Fort, Nagarhole National Park, Nisargadhama Forest, Bylakuppe and several waterfalls. 2.8 Indian Cinema promoting hill stations in India The major hill station that became popular due to filming are Gulmarg and Srinagar in Kashmir, Manali, Dalhousie and Shimla in Himachal Pradesh, Nainital in Uttarakhand, Darjeeling in , in and Wayanad and Munnar in Kerala. The unforgettable affair of the legendary actor Shammi Kapoor with Kashmir is truly a tribute to Indian Tourism. The recent Bollywood blockbuster, Highway is another good example that has influenced the Himachal Pradesh Tourism by promoting the remote Sangla and Spiti Valley. The movie also has been filmed in parts of Manali and Shimla, the two most popular hill stations in Himachal Pradesh noted for their natural beauty. Darjeeling, which is another popular hill station in India, is also a notable filming destination for Indian filmmakers. Popular Bollywood movies like Aradhana, Mausam, Barfi and Via Darjeeling were majorly shot in Darjeeling. 2.9 Indian cinema promoting sea beaches in India Goa is one of the popular destinations for Bollywood movie shooting. Beaches like Dona Paula and Miramar were shot in several movies. A few scenes from the award winning Bollywood flick, DilChahtaHai, were shot in Sinquerim and , the two most popular beaches in Goa. Some other notable Bollywood movies shot in Goa are Josh, Golmaal, Dhoom and Pukar. The Bollywood classic, Sagar, starring Rishi Kapoor and brings out the isolated Aksa Beach and Manori Beach in Mumbai. Paradise Beach in Pondicherry is yet another popular destination for Bollywood movies. .

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 33 2.10 Hollywood Movies that had scenes filmed in India It’s great to watch Bollywood movies shot in exotic locations all around the globe however nothing beats the thrill of spotting India in a Hollywood movie. Hollywood too has been highly inspired by exotic locations in India since early nineteenth century. Such movies had also been a great driver for inbound tourist movement to India from various foreign locations.

Some famous movies that were partly or wholly shot in India, includes: • The Darjeeling Limited - Jodhpur • Eat Pray Love - Delhi and Pataudi • Jobs - Delhi and Vrindavan • Million Dollar Arm - Mumbai • Slumdog Millionaire - Mumbai • The Bourne Supremacy - Goa • The Namesake - Kolkata • A Mighty Heart - Pune • Mission Impossible 4 - Mumbai • The Dark Knight Rises - Mehrangarh Fort (Jodhpur) • The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - Jaipur and • Zero Dark Thirty - Chandigarh • Octopussy - Udaipur • Life of Pi - Puducherry and Kerala • Outsourced - Mumbai

Film tourism is a considerable market proofed by earlier research on how films have affected visitor numbers. However, to have film tourism, a wide co-operation between several parties such as film commissions, screen agencies, tourism agencies, local entrepreneurs and government

34 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations is needed. Positive effects that can be seen through the research is that films offer an access to wider markets, ability to target specific markets, it can be free marketing tool and it is not considered to be too aggressive such as traditional touristic campaigns.

Storylines intrigue emotions which can make even unconventional places interesting to visit, such as rainy or cold places, rural locations or places that don’t have other attractions than the landscapes and the storyline of the film. Creating touristic campaigns in co-operation with a film production can help in differentiation with “Any Countries” and make the place more interesting to visit and attract the pilgrimages of film tourism.

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 35 36 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations Chapter 3 State governments promoting Film Tourism

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 37 3 | State governments promoting Film Tourism 3.1 Introduction Every state in India is diverse not only by its culture, but also by the rewards it offers to film producers. Several Indian states have various incentive schemes to attract filmmakers to their home-ground for film production. The Indian movie industry can be imagined as one big river flowing all over the country; with its many small and big tributaries joining in together to make one big movie making enterprise. Unlike Hollywood, it is a bigger and more complex system, but yet it rakes out lesser revenue despite its potential. Acknowledging the enormous impact of cinema on choice of travel destinations worldwide, Indian states have been actively redesigning their respective tourism policies to promote more and more film tourism. There have been quite a few initiatives to promote regional and Bollywood movies, also encouraging international film fraternity to look for exotic locations in various states of India.

38 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 3.2 Film Gujarat Tourism was conferred with the National Award for ‘Most Film Friendly State’ at the 63rd National Film Award function in New Delhi. Gujarat aims to lure film makers with Tourism Policy. From Umargam in to Kutch and heritage locations in Gondal and Rajpipla, all have wonderful locations and highly untapped. Gujarat, a state with world-wide fame for tourism is blessed with rich wildlife, stretches of deserts, magnificent , numerous water resources, and many heritage places, have got a new feather in its cap. Film makers across India are eyeing at this state of west India to shoot movies of different genres. The most preferred shooting destinations of Gujarat are , Gondal, Rajpipla, , DevgadhBaria, Little Rann of Kutch, Great Rann of Kutch, , Saputara, Dahod, JunagadhMaqbara, Polo Forest. The trend of using Gujarat landscapes in Bollywood movies began with the -AishwaryaRai film Hum Dil De ChukeSanam , followed by AbhishekBachchan’s debut film Refugee , and . The film “ Piku” was shot in Surendranagar and “Raees” in Ahmedabad.

The factors that work in Gujarat’s favour are its picturesque locations & friendly people, low cost of shooting, proximity to Mumbai, but more importantly its robust infrastructure and efficient administration who are keen to attract more business to the state. To make the state a hub for film making and strengthen the facilities like single window clearances for film makers, the Gujarat government is betting on Cinematic Tourism in the state.

Aamir Khan’s Oscar-nominated

3.2.1 Initiatives by Gujarat State Government • The Tourism Department of Gujarat is aiming high to develop film tourism by creating state-of-the-art infrastructure besides promoting exotic locations. • As a pre-event of the high profile investment congregation, Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit in January 2017, the State Government had organised a day-long seminar on ‘Cinematic Tourism - the way forward’ on August 29 at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar.

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 39 • The Gujarat Tourism Department is aiming to attract film makers, directors from the state and outside to showcase the advantage of the state’s tourism policy and film making policy apart from the scenic natural beauty for film making. The state offers subsidy and financial assistance for superior quality Gujarati movies. • Film shooting at tourist destinations in Gujarat shall be further encouraged through single-window clearances along with necessary concessions as provided for under the relevant Government Resolution (GR). • Broad basing the existing tourism to curtail the seasonality in tourist arrivals through Cinematic Tourism as one of the options • Tourism department of Gujarat is aiming high to develop Cinematic Tourism by creating state-of-the-art infrastructure for filmmaking as well as promoting some of the exotic locations in the State. o The State tourism department has been working on making Gujarat a hub for film making which automatically promote Cinematic Tourism. According to some estimates, more than 100 Non-Gujarati feature films were shot in Gujarat during the last three years which includes movies in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Bhojpuri and Bengali. In order to make the state more preferred and friendly locations for film shootings the state Government has decided to provide prompt and adequate facilities to producers who want to shoot films, T.V. serials, documentaries, advertisements and feature films at tourist, religious and historical sites, etc in Gujarat. - Respective Municipal Commissioners of Municipal Corporations, Police Commissioners, District Collectors, District Police Superintendents and Deputy Conservator of Forest will give official approvals for shooting. In the case of rejecting an application, a written reply with reasons shall be communicated to the party. If no decision is taken within seven days from an application received by the authority, the permission will be deemed to have been granted. - This deemed permission shall not apply for (a) monuments falling under Department of Archeology Survey of India (b) Reserve Forest, Forest or Sanctuary Area falling under the Forest and Environment Department. - No charges shall be levied for police bandobast at open sites and for shooting in open public places. However, applicable charges may be levied for water, electricity, utilization of buildings and others facilities. - Local permission of concerned Police Commissioner or District Police Superintendent shall be obtained for security clearances. Concerned Police Commissioner or District Police Superintendent will give due permissions expeditiously. If such a permission is not granted, or rejected within seven days of an application received by the authority, it will be deemed to have been granted. - If the Party requires a prohibition permit, the same shall be obtained from the concerned District Officer of Prohibition and Excise Department by the Party.

40 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 3.3 Film Rajasthan, India’s largest and most vibrant state, takes you on an unforgettable journey. The land of legends charms every soul with its rich history, majestic monuments, colourful culture, lively festivals and adventurous getaways. From the heights of a royal fort, into the depths of an age old tradition, from a run into the wild, to a stroll in the desert, Rajasthan takes you around an experience at every step.

Its heritage forts, palaces and havelis, Aravali hill ranges, sand dunes, lakes, folk music, dance and colourful ethnic dresses and , luxury train “ on Wheels” have always delighted filmmakers across the globe and have been captured in various hues in many feature films, TV Serials, Ad films, Music videos and documentaries. Rajasthan has sound infrastructure, team of experienced crew handlers & tour operators and a Government enabled single window system to provide you all the necessary clearances in the shortest possible time to assist you in film-making. The main cities where there is existence of exotic location and rich cultural and historical heritage are mainly Jaipur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Ajmer, Alwar, Bharatpur, Pushkar, Ranthambhore, Kota, Bundi etc.

Procedure for granting film shooting permission:- • Film Shooting permissions are granted under Single Window Clearance System by the Commissioner/ Director, Department of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan as the Nodal Agency under Rajasthan Film Shooting (Amendment) • Regulation, 2016. • An intending filmmaker has to apply to the Director, Tourism in the prescribed application form for obtaining permission to shoot films in the State. • Foreign filmmakers may apply after obtaining clearances from the Central Government i.e. Government of India. • Director Tourism, Govt. of Rajasthan, if satisfied, shall grant permission to shoot within 15 days from the date of receipt of the application and upon completion of formalities which shall be binding on all State Government Departments and Local Authorities. • Permissions from Central Government Departments such as Railways, DGCA (Director General of Civil Aviation), ASI (Archaeological Survey of India), etc have to be obtained by the filmmaker.

List of Films Shot

(Indian & International)

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 41 Hollywood – Octopussy, The Jewel in TheCrown, The Jungle Book, The Best ExoticMarigold Hotel, Holy Smoke, Desires of the Heart, Viceroy’s House, What Will People Say

Indian (Bollywood) – Mughal-e-Azam, ,Lamhe, , Karan Arjun, , PK, BajrangiBhaijan, BajiraoMastani, Mirzya, Badrinath Ki Dulhaniya, BaadshahoThe ‘Pink City’ of India, Jaipur has been a must-visit destination for tourists from across the world and contributes to high tourism revenue year-afteryear. Popular for its hospitality, friendly locals, delectable cuisine and historical monuments, Jaipur has been a Bollywood film shoot hotspot too. Nahargarh Fort in the Aravali Hills in particular reminds patrons of scenes from ‘Rang De Basanti’ (remember and Sharman Joshi’s free fall from the public water tank of the Nahargarh Fort).

3.3.1 Initiatives by Rajasthan State Government • Films that are 75% shot in Rajasthan and given U certificates, will get a 100% exemption from Entertainment tax for one year. • Exemption of 50% Entertainment Tax for films shot at least 50% in Rajasthan. • Films that are minimum 75% shot in Rajasthan and have U certificate are 100% exempted from Entertainment Tax for 1 year • New multiplex cinema halls receive Entertainment Tax subsidy for 3 years (75% of 1st year, 50% for 2nd year, 25% for 3rd year) • Waiver of security deposit of INR 5 million for a one week schedule and INR 1 million per day beyond one week • Waiver of processing charges of INR 15,000 per day for the first week and INR 10,000 a day beyond the first week • Waiver of application fee of INR 1,000 3.4 Film tourism in Delhi Delhi, the capital of world’s largest democracy, is a city that bridges two contrasting worlds. While Old Delhi is a labyrinth of mysterious narrow lanes, haveli’s and majestic mosques, the imperial city of New Delhi is composed of spacious, tree-lined avenues and imposing government buildings. Delhi has been a part of Films for a longtime now. Its scenic beauty, picturesque locations and historical monuments form interesting backdrop for movies. Today Delhi has emerged as bollywood’s favourite shooting destination, over-shadowing the over-exposed Mumbai. Several known filmmakers have either been shooting for their projects or are scouting for locations in Delhi, as the city offers myriad choices at a cheaper cost. Just around 7-8 years back, only one or two films were being shot in Delhi every year, but ever since the support system has improved, the numbers have gone up to over 30 films. With the availability of new talent, lower production cost, international connectivity, metro and better infrastructure, Delhi has so much to offer.

India Gate

India Gate is a War Memorial dedicated to the Indian soldiers who fought in the British Army during the First World War. The grand structure, therefore, formed an apt location for filming

42 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations one of the most memorable scenes from Rang De Basanti, a film inspired by India’s freedom fighters. Chak De! India, a patriotic sports film, also features India Gate in one of its scenes. In Bollywood, the War Memorial has become synonymous with patriotic sentiment.

Old Delhi

Even though the former grandeur of the place has long since vanished, Old Delhi still holds an inescapable magnetism. Bollywood too hasn’t been able to shrug off this appeal and continues to find stories based on the old city. Delhi-6, which released in 2006, is sort of an ode to ChandniChowk in Old Delhi from director RakeyshOmprakashMehra, who grew up in the area. Whether it’s through films or books, the city, previously known as Shahjahanabad, never fails to inspire the creative soul. 3.4.1 Initiatives by the Capital City

To promote Delhi as a film-shooting destination in the National and International Market, Delhi Tourism, in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, has taken various steps to facilitate the shooting of movies in the city. Delhi is in the process of introducing “Single Window Clearance” for film-making facility so that the legal formalities to shoot in the city can be performed by visiting only one Government Office. Several steps are being taken to introduce a smooth system for granting permission to Film Producer, to provide them consolidated information on instructions/ guidelines issued by various Departments of Delhi and Ministries of the Government, and to make film shooting a hassle-free experience. 3.5 Film Tourism in Odisha Tourism in Odisha is one of the main contributors to the Economy of Odisha, India, with a 500 km) long coastline, towering mountains, serene lakes and frolicking rivers. Odisha is one of the major tourism sectors of India, with various tourists’ attractions, ranging from wildlife reserves, beaches, temples, monuments, the arts and festivals. Odisha has been used mostly by regional film makers and its potential to become an international film shooting destination has not been explored till recent past. 3.5.1 Initiatives by Odisha Government • Acknowledging the fact that Odisha has ample provisions to encourage film makers, necessary revisions have been included in state tourism policy 2016. The state invited the film makers to take full opportunity extended by Odisha Tourism to shoot their films here. Road shows were recently held in London and Berlin to promote tourism in Odisha, while there are plans to host similar shows in Australia and Asian countries. The department also plans to set up tourist centres in various countries and promote Odisha’s tourist destinations on social media.

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 43 • Chilika lake Odisha Film Office is under the Office of Film Development Corporation, Odisha and Industries Department of Government of Odisha, Ministry of Industries, Its main duty is to provide infrastructure for shooting for Indian and foreign film productions as well as to create awareness of Konark Marine Drive and the unique resort Toshali Sands and its uniqueness and diversity in tern of its vast array of film locations, to promote Puri and Toshali sands as a user-friendly environment for filmmakers. • According to Odisha Tourism policy 2016, specified film tourism policies have been laid down in order to promote film tourism in the state. • To encourage shooting of feature films in important tourist locations and thereby highlighting different tourist destinations in the state, incentives equivalent to 75% of the actual expenditure incurred on accommodations in hotels of Odisha during such shootings shall be reimbursed to a ceiling of INR 10 Lakhs. • Special Single Window Clearance Committee (SSWCC) has been formed and will be the competent authority to sanction incentive for film shooting. • The much-awaited film city in Odisha where tourists would have Disney World-like experience would come up soon in Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon, Chilika. The project born out of the ‘Make in Odisha’ campaign launched by the State Government for investment in the film production sector would be a reality when the film city is set up at an investment of Rs 5,000 crore on the Chilika shore. The film city would be built up in a total area of 1,000 acres, out of which 370 acres has been allotted so far for beginning the project. • Odisha, Toshali Sands, now has more to offer apart from exciting locations. As the resort has contacts with Studios, artists, art directors and independent filmmakers can now take advantage of local companies which have the ability to provide tools, techniques and services that allow them to refine and redefine their artistry. First-class film processing, post-production, sound studios, computer graphics, animation, distribution and much more are readily available at competitive prices. Most of the India’s largest facilities, including Deluxe Laboratories, Technicolor Lab, e-Film and others now offer full services here at Bhubaneswar Odisha is going to set to become one of India’s Bollywood for post- production. 3.6 Film tourism in Maharashtra Maharashtra has a very rich cultural heritage, which has been sustained over the centuries by waves of settlers. There is much diversity in the state’s geography, biology, communities and customs. Mumbai is like the ancestral home which Bollywood visits every now and then. Despite numerous movies capturing the iconic locales of the City of Dreams, Bollywood just can’t get enough of. Be it a moment

44 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations of introspection like Munnabhai MBBS, zip-zapping around the place like Dhoom or simply to feel alive again like in , Marine Drive is always the favorite spot.

Maharashtra Tourism Development Board (MTDC) is greatly stressing on showcasing the destination through the film sector. Scenes from hit movies will be used to ‘brand’ and promote locations where the film scenes were shot, to create an easy connect in the minds of the public.

Although Mumbai & Maharashtra has several scenic locations, suitable for filming, of late, Mumbai has been losing out to other cities when it comes to filming movies. TV serials continue to get filmed in Mumbai (at the Film City) but most filmmakers avoid filming the big movies here. The state government is working out the details so that they can issue online permits to filmmakers, with the aim of providing the requisite permissions within a day. This will encourage more filmmakers & studios to shoot films, short films and documentaries in the state. Currently producers have to take around 30-32 permissions from departments like the police, the fire brigade, the local BMC ward office and so on, before they can commence shooting for a film or even for a serial.

3.6.1 Initiatives by Maharashtra State Government

With Mumbai being the entertainment and fashion capital of India, it provides an ideal destination for Indian and world Cinema. Along with the existing infrastructure in the Mumbai film city, sets in other parts of the state; the state aims to build further avenues in the form of film museums, theme parks, film city tours etc. to build this segment. MTDC has announced a Bollywood tourism plan, under which Indian and foreign tourists can take guided tours of film studios and sets while being exposed to a first-hand experience of film shooting. Major initiatives by the state government include: • Promote Maharashtra as an ideal destination for film shootings and gain from tourist influx by being the venue / location of popular domestic and international cinema. • Ease the intricate and complex clearance process, and incentivize film makers by providing them single window clearances and incentives to choose Maharashtra as their preferred destination choice for film shootings. • The number of permissions required for film shoots in Maharashtra was also one of the major concerns and hence simplification of procedures and Single window clearance mechanism for permissions pertaining to film industry is being worked upon. • An online registry mechanism will be of various services related to film industry will be established. • Creation of the Film Tourism Promotion Council under the aegis of ‘Maharashtra Tourism’. • Organize familiarization tours for major production houses in India and across the globe for key tourist destinations in Maharashtra. • The DoT will decide the additional incentives basis on total number of dates allotted to shooting and canning of the film in Maharashtra

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 45 • Marketing support for shooting locations in global film festival • Online portal for information on locations 3.7 Film Beaches, exotic wildlife, hill stations and backwaters are amongst just a few of the prime locations that can be used to shoot any form of media. Ads, short films or even feature length productions would benefit a lot from the picturesque locations that Kerala has to offer. Film makers have raved over the natural beauty of the state and we cordially invite you as well to share and bask in the glory of God’s Own Country. After the release of Life Of Pi, international tourists are showing interest in visiting Munnar (pictured), where scenes of the movie were shot.

Film makers have raved over the natural beauty of the state and we cordially invite you as well to share and bask in the glory of God’s Own Country. After the release of Life Of Pi, international tourists are showing interest in visiting Munnar (pictured), where scenes of the movie were shot. 3.7.1 Kerala Government Initiatives • The Kerala government has launched a new initiative under its ‘Visit Kerala campaign’ to join hands with the movie industry for film tourism, a growing phenomenon worldwide, that could promote the state’s picturesque tourist destinations through movies. • KSFDC has got approval for single window clearance system from government for shooting purposes. • Kerala’s pride events like Nehru trophy boat race and Thrissur Pooram festival are promoted to be cast in any Indian movies which are the best suitable medium to showcase these events worldwide. • Project Indywood, worth $10 billion that also involves a tour package has been recently introduced by Indywood Film Tourism, titled ‘Travancore Treasures (Ananthavismayam)’ is set to turn Kerala into a Film Tourism hub. The main objective of Indywood consortium promoted by 2,000 Indian billionaires and corporate is to elevate Indian Film Industry to global platform in the next five years. The Rs 70,000 crore project aims at initiating 10,000 new 4K projection multiplex screens, 1,00,000 2K projection home cinemas, 8K/4K film studios, animation/ VFX studios and film schools on par with international standards. • Kerala hosts a popular International Film Festival that is being attracted by thousands of film lovers and hundreds of filmmakers, from inside and outside the country.

46 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 3.8 Film tourism in Himachal Pradesh

Himachal had always been a popular destination for film industry and had been attracting film makers since last six decades. Himachal has several scenic locations which are ideal to the film makers especially in the remote belts and the government is making all-out efforts to develop these sites to facilitate the tourists and film-makers. For many years now, Indian filmmakers found Manali with its mystic peaks, tall oak trees and gurgling rivulets as a perfect spot for some cosy shots and romantic scenes.

Hidimba Devi Mandir

Hidimba Devi Mandir lies in the hill station of Manali in Himachal Pradesh, which is a favourite Bollywood location. The beautiful structure, nestled amid a thick cedar forest, served as a filming location for the 2013 romantic comedy YehJawaaniHaiDeewani as well as the critically acclaimed 1992 drama Roja.

Shimla

Shimla has been a favourite with filmmakers ever since the advent of Bollywood. Whether it’s the 1960s romantic movie Love in Simla or recent hits such as Bang Bang and Mai Tera Hero, Shimla, which was once the summer capital of the British Raj, has played the perfect host to Bollywood for years. The endorsement it has received from the film industry has helped boost tourism in the region in a big way. Apart from the pristine landscape, the colonial architecture lends a special character to this town.

RohtangPaas

Located at a high altitude of about 51 kms from Manali, movies like Jab We Met, Dev D and Highway have immortalised the raw and snow clad stretches of RohtangPaas on celluloid, making it the perfect choice for all biking enthusiasts.

3.8.1 Initiatives by Himachal Pradesh Tourism board • To promote Himachal Pradesh as a favourite and major destination for promoting film making a Film Tourism Policy is on the anvil which would not only give fillip to tourism industry but would also facilitate film activities in the state.

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 47 • Single window clearance system has been set up to assist the film makers for granting the shooting and building permissions, law and order related issues and movement of equipment at their level • The State had been organising film festivals and other film related activities at Shimla from time to time with an objective of promoting Cine Media. • The State Government was pursuing the matter with GoI for getting the air strips at Shimla, Kullu and Dharamshala extended and upgraded besides operationalizing regular flights which would provide added facility for film production and would boost tourism in the State. • Complimentary facilities and rebates etc. extended to film makers availing Government facilities like accommodation, transportation and equipment. • A nodal agency/officer for purposes of promoting and facilitating film shooting will also be appointed in the state. Familiarization (FAM) tours for foreign filmmakers would also be facilitated by the support of the state government. Further, the government is also exploring possibilities of setting up of film studio in the state for promoting film tourism in the state. 3.9 Film West Bengal offers a remarkable range of destinations and experiences within a single state. It is a land of contrasts -in climate, vegetation, scenery, and landscape and has a rich diversity of ethnicity, culture, languages and religion. It is a truly unique state because it stretches all the way from the seas to the . It has always been a traveller’s delight as there are fantastic trips set around the misty and romantic hill stations of and , diverse wildlife and verdant teagardens of the , historical monuments and temples of and Bishnupur, wide and splendid beaches of and Mandarmoni and-the lush forested islands and meandering rivers of Sunderbans- destinations that are great revelations. The state has immense tourism potential and this is also reflected in the increase in the tourist footfall over the last few years.

Among all the hill stations in India that have attracted their share of Bollywood fame, Darjeeling by far stands out as one of the most repeated. The scenic Himalayan town of West Bengal that offers some jaw-dropping views of the Kanchenjungha has hosted almost all top Hindi film stars ever since Raj Kapoor shot Barsaat way back in 1949. Bollywood and Darjeeling has been an unending love story all through. So far 24 Bollywood films have been shot in Darjeeling. Since 1960 , major films shot at Darjeeling includes Jab Pyaar Kisi Se HotaHai (1961), humraaz (1967), Aradhana(1969), Do anjane (1976), Barsaat Ki raat (1981)raju ban gaya gentleman(1992), Barfi! (2012).

48 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations The terracotta temples of Bishnupur and the rural culture of Purulia and Bankura districts of West Bengal were used by several regional filmmakers in their films. Many Bengali, Bhojpuri and Oriya films were shot in this region. Lootera is one such pick from Bollywood that has been shot in Purulia. Satyajit Ray’s GupiGayanBagha Bayan, Hirak Rajar Deshe, GupiBaghaPhireElo are the most popular movies in Indian Film history that have been Dakshineswar Temple & , filmed extensively in Purulia and Bankura districts. Kolkata Kolkata has found its feet in Bollywood like never before. Be it the celebrations in and Kahani, tram rides in Barfi, coal business in Gunday or Howrah Bridge in Detective ByomkeshBakshy, Kolkata plays a protagonist every time a story is set in the City of Joy. No wonder there’s been a phenomenal growth in West Bengal tourism and it’s only going to increase with each blockbuster movie shot with Kolkata at its epicentre! 3.9.1 Initiatives by West Bengal State Tourism board • West Bengal plans to make it easier for films to be shot in the state. West Bengal Tourism Policy focuses on specific components of Cultural Tourism includes Fairs and Festivals Tourism, Heritage Tourism, Arts and Crafts Tourism, Cuisine Tourism, Film Tourism, Family, Relatives and Friends Tourism, and Village Tourism. • The West Bengal government is mulling on opening a single window to process requests to shoot movies in the state - a move which will spare the producers the hassle of knocking at the doors of multiple agencies. The move is in line with the government’s policy to enable the entertainment industry to have a strong footprint in the state, and also to promote film-tourism. • The Tourism department will see to it that the infrastructure in the shooting sites is upgraded so that film units are provided with adequate accommodation, restaurant facilities, roads, healthcare, shopping plaza and transport. • Initiatives have been made to set up film cities in the state. • 2% Entertainment Tax on Bengali films. Tax rates for Bengali, Nepali, and Santhali films reduced to 10% from 15%. For new and renovated cinema halls, Entertainment Tax exemption for 3 years

• Maximum incentive of INR 30 million in the form of subsidy for film makers executing post production processing at Cine Laboratory Complex 3.10 Film Goa Tourism has been awarded with “Film Tourism Destination of the Year” trophy at the prestigious ceremony of prestigious IITM (India International Travel Mart), Chennai 2016. Goa

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 49 has always been one of most favorite shooting destination among Bollywood filmmakers for a very long time as the place offers a wide list of most amazing destinations for film shots. Within just last decade, Goa has been the ground of over 100 national and international films. Goa’s picturesque locations make it a hotspot for films and producers to come and capture the scenic locations of Goa which includes the beaches, heritage, hinterlands, monsoons, adventure activities, festivals and much more.

Chapora Fort

The 2001 film has made the Chapora Fort in Goa so famous that the place is now more commonly known as the ‘Dil Chahta Hai Fort’. Indeed, it’s possible that some tourists may not even know its real name. The Fort lies on top of a steep hill, and the view of the sea from the summit is breathtaking. , Goa

Replete with idyllic beaches, beautiful churches and breathtaking waterfalls, India’s premier unwind destination has been the ultimate muse of Bollywood. However, it’s the Fort Aguada in North Goa which has found a special place in Indian celluloid. The rocky fort has been an integral part of a lot of iconic scenes from Rangeela, DilChahtaHai, Golmaal, Dhoom and Honeymoon Travels and has become a must-visit destination for the tourists.

3.10.1 Initiatives of the Goa state Government • In order to develop Goa as a film tourism destination, the government is looking forward to ensuring various infrastructure facilities in place such as a film city and facilitates film production. It has plans for providing equipment such as cranes, spotlights, reflectors, camera etc. along with many other production facilities needed for film shootings. Easing editing will also create employment opportunities in the state. • The Entertainment Society of Goa is also playing an important role in easing out procedures and permissions for film shootings in Goa through a single window system. • The International Film Festival of India is held annually at Goa which attracts filmmakers from across the globe • Single window clearance system and permits for films to be shot anywhere in the state. 3.11 Film tourism in Jammu & Kashmir Jammu and Kashmir has been a paradise for film shooting for its mesmerizing natural beauty and unparalleled scenic landscapes. Inspite of political disturbances , the state has attracted film directors time and again over the years.

50 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations Pangong Lake, Ladakh

In recent years, Pangong Lake in Ladakh in the state of Jammu and Kashmir has found a lot of admirers within the film fraternity. PangongtsoTso Lake in Ladakh has been witnessing of steady stream of visitors, thanks to the fame provided by Aamir Khan starrer ‘3 Idiots’ film. and Anushka Sharma also shot a fabulous scene here in ‘Jab TakHaiJaan’.

Gulmarg

Gulmarg in Kashmir is a popular ski destination. While people flock here for winter sports such as skiing, snowboarding, and tobogganing, Bollywood has used the snowy hills of Gulmarg for filming many of its films. SaatKhoonMaaf, starring and based on a short story by Ruskin Bond, was shot here. Innumerous films have been shot in its snow clad landscapes that has influenced both domestic and international tourists for ages. Srinagar

Srinagar the summer capital of the state of J&K lies in the Kashmir Valley on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus, and Dal and Anchar lakes. The city is famous for its natural beauty, gardens, waterfronts and houseboats.“Kashmir ki kali” to “Mission Kashmir” Dal lake and houseboats at Srinagar have been the USPs of the films.

3.11.1 Initiatives of J&K state government • Single window clearance system for granting permission for shooting films within 7 days in Kashmir • Film Tourism Promotion Committee established to promote the region as a filming location and extends all support to film productions including security • Waiver of taxes for films shot in the state 3.12 Film Karnataka has everything a filmmaker wants, except snow. The state boasts of a picturesque 320-km-long coastline, splendid waterfalls, reservoirs, and heritage sites, but these destinations have not been promoted via film tourism. Ramesh Sipply shot his Hindi blockbuster in Ramanagaram. David Lean shot his Passage to India in Bengaluru and Ramanagaram. Among Kannada films, parts of Mungaru Male were shot in the green surroundings of Jog Falls and NammooraMandaraHoove at Yana. Bollywood films such as Coolie, AndhaKanoon, Ghayal, and 3 Idiots

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 51 were shot in Bengaluru; parts of V. Shantaram’sJhanakJhanakPayalBaaje were shot at Brindavan Gardens; Pakeezah and Mard were shot extensively in Mysuru. Melkote, Mysuru and Bengaluru have been favourite shooting destinations of filmmaker . His PallaviAnuPallavi, , Guru, and were shot in Bengaluru. He also explored the landscapes of Badami in Guru .’s every film has a Mysuru location. His film Linga was shot in places around Sagara and Jog Falls. Parts of Jackie Chan’s The Myth was shot at Hampi.

However, on a larger scale , Karnataka has lost out to other states on film tourism. Of around 75 foreign films (including Hollywood) shot in different parts of India in the past three years, not a single one was shot in Karnataka. Karnataka had once been the top destination for film-shootings in the and a film-friendly state till the 1980s in the country. alone has 276 locations for film shooting within a 15km radius of the city. However, red-tapism, bureaucratic apathy and lack of interest among political leadership made Karnataka unpopular on the film-making circuit.

3.12.1 Initiatives by Karnataka State Government • Karnataka all set to promote scenic locations as film tourism destinations. Taking a leaf out of the successful experiment in Gujarat, Karnataka is now all set to promote its many scenic locations as film tourism destinations. • The Department of Tourism has identified 317 potential destinations for film tourism. • The policy promises a single-window clearance facility, dedicated web portal, footage of locations for international promos, and database of product facilities, hotels, and emergency services. 3.13 Film tourism in Telangana Telangana, the 29th and youngest state of India, formally recognised on 2 June 2014, is a treasure trove of tourist destinations. Hyderabad, the capital city of this state, is the fifth largest city in India and home to some of India’s best educational institutions, public sector and defence companies and a thriving global services sector and film industry.The region is known for its unique culture, dialect, cuisines and other aspects. Constituting a major part of theDeccan plateau, Telangana has a pleasing climate, with abundant natural and water resources. One of the wealthy economies in India, Telangana has taken its rightful place in the country as a highly developed state and society, with a proud history and grand heritage. However, tourism in Telangana, apart from a few places in and around Hyderabad, is vastly unexplored.

Spread over 2,000 acres, the Ramoji Film City, set up by the Ramoji Group in 1996, is the world’s largest integrated film city and India’s only thematic holiday destination. Certified by the Guinness World Records as the world’s largest film studio complex, at Ramoji Film City, a filmmaker can walk in with a script and walk out with the film. The City attracts over 1.5 million tourists annually.

52 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 3.13.1 Initiatives by the Telangana State Government • The State government has decided to set up a single window system for granting permissions to film producers for making films. Once set up, the single window system would enable film-makers to easily obtain the required permissions without visiting different offices. • The government is also actively considering introduction of online ticketing system to avoid scope for black marketing of film tickets. • A sprawling 100 acre site had been identified at Abdullahpurmet on the city outskirts for setting up a state-of-the-art film institute. • The Telangana government is going all out to woo international filmmakers to shoot in the state, especially in various beautiful locations in Adilabad district. For the first time, to hardsell the state as a destination for film shooting, the Telangana Tourism has come out with a promo video titled ‘Telangana, an emerging international film destination’, showcasing stunning locations in different districts. The video, highlights places such as Jodeghat, a tiny hamlet in Adilabad. Other locations include GandhariKilla (fort), Mitta waterfall (SathaGundu), Manikguda caves, KerameriGhat Road and Shivaram, all in Adilabad district, which is over 300 km away from Hyderabad. A great degree of prominence has also been given to Kinnerasani in Khammam, Ramappa Temple and Pandavula caves in Warangal district, the Medak Church, Ellampally project in Karimnagar district, and DichpallyRamalayam in Nizamabad.

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 53 54 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations Chapter 4 Potential of Film Tourism in India

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 55 4 | Potential of film tourism in India 4.1 Potential for Film Tourism in the Country Given the impact of ‘Cinema’ on behavioral changes on audiences, it has in recent years emerged as a powerful tool for the development and promotion of destinations. Several destinations have gained in terms of tourist influx by being the venue / location of popular domestic and international cinema. In addition to the exposure provided through such films, there are many ancillary gains to the destination like income generation, investment, job creation etc. which contribute to the overall economic development of the respective destination. India, in addition to being one of the leading film producing countries with the filming community spread across various regions of the country, also offers a diversity of landscape and locations in the different States / Union Territories, making it an appealing destination for production of both international and domestic films.

India can offer various benefits to film makers such as scenic and diverse locations, cost-efficiency benefits, skilled yet inexpensive manpower, and local talent. Further, film tourism can result in a number of benefits to the country as well including: • Promotion of tourism industry • Boost to local film production • Creation of employment • Transfer of technology • Inflow of foreign currency

56 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 4.2 Key Drivers of Growth of Film Tourism in India • Expansion and penetration of multiplex chains in Tier 2 and tier 3 cities • Investments by foreign studios in domestic and regional productions • Emergence of digital revenue streams in the form of Netflix etc. • Several attractive locations for film shooting • Low cost labour which leads foreign directors to shoot with talent crew makers in India economically. • Film Infrastructure availability in places specially designated to film production, also called Film cities. These Film cities consist of air-conditioned and soundproof shooting floors, custom designed set locations, digital film processing labs, dubbing studios and other allied requirements.

Indian cinema, which is no doubt the highest grossing part of the Media & Entertainment industry, has done a lot for the advancement of tourism in India not only in zeroing several unexplored destinations of India but also brightening other key elements. The Ministry of Tourism has recognized films as a powerful tool for promotion of tourism destinations and locations and taken following steps to promote Film Tourism as an important Niche Tourism product: • The Ministry of Tourism has formulated guidelines, for extending Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to various State Governments/Union Territory (UT) Administrations, for promotion of Film Tourism. Under these guidelines, CFA of Rs.2.00 lakh per film is extended, during each financial year, to the State Governments and UT Administrations for a maximum of five Films, which include Feature Films, Documentaries, Tele-films and Television Serials. The CFA is granted for meeting the costs towards Space Hiring/Filming charges, Facilitation Fee etc., payable by the Filming Unit to various State Governments, UT Administrations, and Government Agencies etc. The films for CFA are selected based on the potential exposure they can provide for promotion of tourism destinations and locations. These guidelines have been circulated to all State Governments/UT Administrations and have been uploaded on the official website of the Ministry of Tourism; • To establish India as a preferred filming destination and promote Film Tourism, the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in February 2012, inter-alia, to promote as a sub brand of “Incredible India” at various international film festivals and markets abroad, to develop synergy between tourism and the film industry and to provide a platform for enabling partnerships between the Indian and global film industry; • To promote Film Tourism during 2013-14, the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting have jointly participated in the Cannes Film Festival & Market, 2013; International Film Festival of India (IFFI) Goa; and Film Bazaar, Goa; • The Ministry of Tourism has instituted a National Tourism Award in 2012 “Most Film Promotion Friendly State/UT” to encourage the State Governments and Union Territories to facilitate filming in their State/UT.

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 57 • In order to prevent undue delays and harassment to production teams, The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India has been taking up the matter of promoting India as a destination for film shootings with State Governments and a letter has been addressed to Chief Ministers of all States requesting the State Governments to consider pro-active steps for promoting Film Tourism, including 33 Constituting a senior level Committee for coordinating inter-departmental issues relating to tourism and facilitation required for film shootings 33 Identifying a nodal officer preferably from the Chief Minister’s office for regular follow up in the matter and 33 Identifying locations which could be promoted through films, in consultation with the Forest & Wildlife, Art and Culture, Heritage and Archaeology Departments. • The State Govts. / UT Administrations will make efforts to provide SINGLE WINDOW clearance for all filming to be carried out in local destinations, except in cases where permissions of central government authorities such as ASI, Army, etc. are required to be obtained. • Often, foreign producers are faced with unclear rules and regulations in terms of obtaining permissions making the process inefficient and expensive. However, the Indian film sector, along with the Government of India and various state governments, is revamping its approvals process as well as looking to incentivize local film making through the establishment of an India Film Commissions and the Film Facilitation Office. Both these initiatives have been recently announced as part of the Make in India campaign in the film sector. 4.3 The Bollywood impact on international destinations • New Zealand inked a co-production treaty with India in June 2011 in an attempt to gain from the Bollywood market, after realizing the benefits derived from various Bollywood films shot in it. Furthermore, Spain and India are close to signing an agreement that will facilitate and promote co-productions after the success of Zindagi Na MilegiDobara, which was shot extensively in the country. • Ireland has been trying to attract Indian producers to shoot Bollywood movies in the country to give boost to its tourism industry, and has taken various steps to further its efforts — Ireland’s Minister for Arts and Tourism led a delegation to India and met senior Bollywood executives, asking them to consider Ireland as a filming location. • The Singapore Tourism Board had allocated US$10 million to Bollywood productions in 2006 for three years under its “Filming in Singapore” scheme, which subsidized up to 50% of the expenses incurred by film companies during their shoots in the country. • The French Government has set up Film France to attract international film shoots. It offers incentives such as refund of VAT on shoots by foreign film crews. France is also offering financial incentives to attract Bollywood producers to its shores.

58 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations • Australia has been a popular location with Indian filmmakers for quite some time.The country expects its tourism industry to see a growth of more than 18% every year until 2016. The flow of Indian tourists to Australia increased by 20% from 2004–2006, especially after the success of Salaam Namaste. • In 2006, around 45,800 Indians visited New South Wales.Their total spending amounted to US$115 million. The production of HeyyBabyyinjected around US$2.1 million into the state’s economy. • Bollywood films such as DilwaleDulhania Le Jayenge, KabhiKhushiKhabhiGhamand MujhseDostiKarogehave all presented Switzerland attractively to Indian tourists. Switzerland hosts around 150,000 tourists from India and large number of Bollywood movies is shot in the country every year. • Many US states such as California, New York, Michigan, Nevada and Utah offer incentives to film and television production companies from India. Many Bollywood movies have been shot in the US including My Name is Khan, Kabhialvidanakehna, Kal ho na ho, to name a few. • Canada also offers incentives to producers of film, television, animation and visual effects from India and has attracted many Bollywood producers, who have shot movies in the country. 4.4 Immediate Areas of Improvement Films in India have now been accepted as one of the great drivers for promoting tourism but there are still few things need to be addressed for film tourism to gear up in many states of India. Though a positive trend of promoting film tourism is in the rise for many states there are still the following points are to be considered for promoting film tourism in India: • Lack of physical infrastructure including Air connectivity, road network, and film cities with post production facilities, sewerage, sanitation etc. in most of the tourist places which holds back film makers to choose a particular location for film shooting. Films do have substantial impact on tourist choice of destinations but may not be the sole factor. Logistic framework like air connectivity and political stability also play an important role before finalizing on the preferred holiday destinations. • Lack of safety and security in selected locations has had a negative impact on film shooting schedules in India. Despite Bollywood films being shot in Cuba, Greece, Prague, Estonia and Russia, the above factors do pose major hindrances in making them a practical destination to travel. • High taxes on entertainment and film production • Multiple approvals from several Government and non- government bodies before commencing the shooting. Currently, about 70 approvals and licences from as many as 30 authorities are required for shooting films in India. Delays in the approvals process often results in filmmaker going to other destinations despite the cost advantage in the country. Due to hurdles in obtaining licenses, India has lost at least 18 big budget movies to other locations in the last 4 years.

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 59 • Another challenge would be the limitations in quantifying the absolute numbers generated by film tourism alone. In the first scenario, the particular location or attraction may be already famous and frequented by tourists, like Eiffel Tower or Statue of Liberty. In such case, it would be difficult to ascertain if increase in tourist arrival was due to the impact of film’s success which was shot at these spots or locales were chosen due to their fame.

60 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations Chapter 5 FICCI-MRSS 7 Points Road Map

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 61 5 | FICCI-MRSS 7 Points Road Map

5.1 FICCI – MRSS 7 Point Road Map Film is one of the most powerful vehicles to promote a destination. There are four factors where films score in destination promotion: free advertising for the destination; gives more authenticity against the hard-selling factor of official media campaigns; reaching a wide target audience and address deep, intrinsic feelings and connect them with a real place. India should be leveraging this wonderful platform for promoting its exotic tourist spots to the world at large. The following road map has been suggested:

1. Destination Dashboard & Setting Up Single Window Clearance

Few State Tourism Departments are very much proactive in terms of promoting this activity whereas there are few exotic locations which are not being highlighted. Therefore, it is important to highlight the tourism destinations across India & bring together all the relevant stakeholders on one common platform where they can share ideas to promote Film Tourism. Local people will value their States more when they see its uniqueness on silver screen. There will be multiple economic benefits to locals like shopping done by cast and crew, rent earnings from location given for shooting and Employment benefits for trained / skilled locals during the shoot. Therefore, setting up a Nodal Body (both from the Industry & Ministries) as a Single Window clearance for granting all permissions required by the production house with a strong linkage and relationship with the different State Governments for hassle free project implementation.

2. Introduction of Soft Loans:

The government may replicate the foreign countries’ film tourism incentives in India. It should provide film makers a short-term loan without charging interest to meet their short-term needs. This would encourage producers to shoot in that particular location, and would catalyze the growth of the tourism industry.

62 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 3. Location specific permissions

Film makers require approvals from authorities in specific locations prior to shooting. Location specific incentives can boost film shooting and help popularize the specific locations. Exploit the Digital Channel to disseminate destination success stories – The State has a wide array of Digital Channels, which can be leveraged to disseminate the success stories and this will generate strong awareness amongst target market. Practices of other countries on location specific incentives that may be looked into by the Indian government are:

Country Location specific incentives Canada Regional Tax Credit of 6% of qualifying labour when min 50% of principal shooting is in Vancouve Spain Rebate of 35% for productions based in Gran Canaria with a cap of EUR 4.5 mn ($5mn) USA 30-35% post production tax credit for costs incurred in NY

4. Safety & Security

Safety is also a major concern which needs to be address by the government, as increasing terrorist attacks and political disturbance hinder the growth of the industry. States should undertake various initiatives like setting up surveillance cameras, tourist police, 24*7 help lines, and compulsory registration of tourist guides operators, etc. to ensure safety of the tourists as well as the film crew. These initiatives may be highlighted by the states/ Central Government in various promotional campaigns to project India as a safe and secure tourist destination.

5. Investment in Infrastructure

Inadequate infrastructure acts as the biggest hindrance to the Indian film tourism industry, and has been affecting its growth since past several years. Bad road conditions; poor connectivity; inadequate air and sea port capacities; and lack of development of modes of transports, like railways, and alternates, like inland water transport and domestic aviation, have been causing delays in the film tourism industry operations. Due to this, costs per film in the Indian film industry increases; and ultimately leads to disturb the planned budget. Therefore, there is an urgent need for investment in infrastructure linking roads, railways and airports, to curtail the losses.

6. Leverage the power of data

Data and analytics are the mainstay of future. This needs to be leveraged and a dedicated insight session needs to be undertaken in order to provide relevant inputs to the state strategy team to streamline/ tweak

Campaigns and attract more film producers to the State.

7. Tax Incentives:

It is important to provide tax benefits and other incentives to film makers in order to attract them to a particular location. In India, because of absence or limited incentives, film makers prefer to shoot at foreign locations over Indian locations. Ministry of Tourism may regulate its policies to

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 63 promote film tourism, and hence tourism in the country. Initiatives such as exemption or refund of VAT, rebate in production cost, free premiers, reduction or exemption of entertainment tax, etc. will certainly make a huge difference in Indian film tourism industry. Few examples of tax benefits provided by various countries across the globe can be adopted by the Indian government like:

Country Tax incentives India can adoptt Canada Tax credit of 28% on qualifying British Columbia (BC) labour expenditure Ireland Tax relief of 32% of eligible expenditure with a lower cap: • Eligible expenditure • 80% of total production cost • EUR 50 mn ($66 mn) Spain International films produced in Spain eligible for 15% tax rebate on eligible costs with cap of EUR 2.5 mn ($2.8 mn) UK Tax relief is capped at 80% of core expenditure USA Film Production Credit of a 30% refundable tax credit on qualified expenses Sales tax exemption to film production activities

• Other incentives: Specific incentives on various film production stage/activities can also be rolled out as depicted in the examples below from various countries:

Countries Other incentives Australia Producer Offset provides a cash rebate of 40% on Qualifying Australian Production Expenditure (QAPE)

Post, Digital and Visual Effects Production (PDV) offset provides 30% rebate on PDV QAPE Canada Digital Animation or Visual Effects (DAVE) Credit of 16% on DAVE labour UK 25% cash rebate on UK qualifying film production expenditure USA Productions with budgets over $500,000 receive additional 10% credit on qualified labour expenses from specific countries

64 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations Bibliography

• Ministry of Tourism, Govt of India

• FICCI

• State Tourism Department

o Govt of Gujarat

o Govt. of Rajasthan

o Govt. of Maharashtra

o Govt. of Odisha

o Govt. of Delhi

o Others State Tourism Department

• Industry Association- Film and TV

• Shrestha Ghosh, Travel Enthusiast and Blogger

Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For Destinations 65 NOTES

Rahul Chakravarty Raj Sharma Consultant, Tourism Chairman, MRSS INDIA

Federation House 1, Tansen Marg, Sarang Panchal New Delhi 110001 CEO, MRSS INDIA

Tel : +91-11-23311720-Direct/ 23738760-70 (Ext.342) Kanakia Zillion, C Wing, Fax : +91-11-23765333 1st floor, Office # 108, L.B.S.Marg, Kurla West Email : [email protected] Mumbai – 400070 [email protected] Tel./Fax No. : +91-22-26540719 [email protected] Email : [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Website : www.ficci.com [email protected] 68 Film Tourism – The Mega Opportunity For DestinationsWebsite : www.mrssindia.com