Poland’s latest claim to fame is screen couple Kajol and Amir Khan. Polish Tourist Organisation used Fanaa as launchpad for campaign in India.
NEW DELHI: Poland’s latest claim to fame is Bollywood screen couple Kajol and Amir Khan. The Polish Tourist Organisation used Fanaa as a launch pad for their latest aggressive tourism campaign in India.
Explains Emilia Engler of Polish Tourist Organisation, “We started with Fanaa and now are on the process of taking some Bollywood producers to Poland for a familiarisation trip. Until now, Poland has not been on the itinerary of the Indian going to Europe. But, now we want to attract Indians to our country. And what better than showing them the country through Bollywood. We have taken the first step with Fanaa.”
And it isn’t just Poland. Other destinations trying to attract the Indian customer are all employing the same old mantra of promoting tourism by showcasing their countries through Hindi films. But, this time round, they are also offering more perks for producers to shoot their film abroad.
Egypt, which has been a locale for James Bond movies, is also luring Mumbai film producers. “We are already talking to a few people. We have made plans to introduce them to Egyptian producers so that if they need any cast and crew they can make an arrangement with the Egyptian film board,” explained Mohamed Hegazy, assistant tourism relation manager, Egyptian Tourism Board.
Polish authorities have gone a step further and even sought the help of the Indian ambassador in Poland, Anil Wadhwa. “Wadhwa has many contacts in Bollywood. We are going to provide all necessary help to Indian filming crews.”
Simon Miller, head of marketing and corporate communications, Berliner Flughafen says, “Berlin and Stuttgart have their own film boards and that helps in creating tie-ups. We are ready to push for Bollywood producers to come and shoot in Germany.”
In fact, some destinations like London that have been Bollywood’s preferred shooting destination have created a Bollywood map for Indian tourists officially sponsored by the British tourist authority. Neighbouring Ireland has just finished giving some producers a taste of their locales.
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