PHDCCI’s Tourism & Hospitality Committee exhorted to create vocation while transforming location into vacation, the theme of the 6th Global Film Tourism Conclave (GFTC) which was organised on 1 March 2024 at Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach.
Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Gujarat Tourism, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board and India Tourism Development Corporation joined hands with PHDCCI to organise the 6th GFTC in Mumbai.
In the opening session, Dr. Ranjeet Mehta, Executive Director, PHDCCI, highlighted the contribution of tourism in the fast-paced growth of the country’s GDP. Mr. Anil Parashar, Chair and Mr. Rajan Sehgal, Co-Chair – Tourism & Hospitality Committee, PHDCCI spoke about the impact that cinema has on shaping minds and the role it plays in propelling people to visit the places that they see on screen. Mr. Mahesh Singhi, Chair – Maharashtra Chapter, PHDCCI shared insights on the state capital as a major contributor to the Indian film industry in terms of number of films produced and released. The session was moderated by Ms. Shalini S Sharma, Assistant Secretary General, PHDCCI.
A knowledge report, curated by PHDCCI and written by KPMG on Indian film tourism was launched on this occasion. As per the report, the global film tourism market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.2 per cent in the coming years. India, one of the largest film producers in the world, rolls out more than 1,500 movies yearly. The Media and Entertainment industry in India is expected to reach INR 8 lakh crore by 2030. Last year, the Indian gross box office collection (GBOC) exceeded INR 12,000 crore.
Chief Guest, Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, President, Indian Council for Cultural Relations felicitated a galaxy of filmmakers, singers and scriptwriters for their contribution to promoting Incredible India globally and boosting tourism. These included filmmaker duo Abbas-Mustan; actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui; scriptwriter Rumy Jafry; ghazal maestro Hariharan and 2024 Grammy winner flautist Rakesh Chaurasiya.
Dr. Sahasrabuddhe said, “The film tourism sector is emerging and gaining recognition and it’s encouraging to see several states and union territories participating in it with great enthusiasm. Today’s film production is not just dependent on technology, but also requires a well-developed infrastructure, skilled talent and manpower. It’s a matter of pride for all of us that our film industry is a global name and at this opportune moment, this discussion on elevating film tourism is highly significant.”
Panel discussions highlighted the role of central and state policies in promoting tourism; incentives offered by states to promote film shootings which in turn support the ecosystem for tourism; role played by Indian films in promoting tourism globally and how films shoots are shaping tourism itineraries through the confluence of tour operators and line producers.
SESSION 1 – ‘Filming in India: Government initiatives & state policies’ was moderated by Ms. Shalini S Sharma, Assistant Secretary General, PHDCCI and included Ms. Shruti Rajkumar, Head, Film Facilitation Office (FFO) India; Ms. Lohita Sujith, Sr. Director – Copyright & Digital Economy, Motion Picture Association (India); and Mr. Dileep Singh Rathore, Producer, On the Road India Productions.
SESSION 2 – ‘Global best practices: Indian cinema’s contribution in promoting film tourism overseas’ had Mr. Nitin Tej Ahuja, Chief Executive Officer, Producers Guild of India as the Moderator and Panellists Mr. Ahmad Zuwairi Yusoff, Consul General of Malaysia; Mr. Tuure-Eerik Niemi, Deputy Consul General of Finland; Mr. Bonnie Jain, Executive Producer, Red Chillies Entertainment; Mr. Madhav Roy Kapur, Executive Producer, Dharma Productions; and Mr. Aashish Singh, Indian Film Producer.
SESSION 3 – ‘Looking beyond the usual: Role of stakeholders in creating new itineraries’ was moderated by Mr. Rajan Sehgal, Co-Chair – Tourism & Hospitality Committee, PHDCCI and included Mr. Pradeep Shetty, President, Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India; Mr. Harinath M, Sr. VP (Communications and Marketing), Sterling Holiday Resorts Limited; Mr. Faisal Malik, Indian Actor; and Mr. Syed Zaid Ali, CEO, Zeal Z Entertainment Services.
A power-packed audience comprised officials from the Film Facilitation Office (FFO); senior government officials; Consul Generals; production houses; state and international tourism boards; line producers; tour operators; hoteliers and aviation companies. Global tourism boards were represented through consulate officials from Argentina, Belarus, China, Finland, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico and Sri Lanka. Among the industry partners of 6th GFTC were Sterling Holiday Resorts, Karma Lakelands and Depioneer Holidays India.