PHDCCI Conclave showcases impact of Film Tourism on India

Friday, March 1, 2024

The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) hosted its 6th Global Film Tourism Conclave with the theme “Transforming Location into Vacation” at Novotel, Juhu, Mumbai, on March 1, 2024. Esteemed speakers, including the event’s Guest of Honour, Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, President of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Tourism and various state Tourism Boards, were present. The conclave also celebrated the contributions of notable industry figures such as the acclaimed filmmaker duo Abbas-Mustan, celebrated scriptwriter and filmmaker Mr. Rumy Jafry, renowned singer Hariharan, acclaimed actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and Grammy-winning flutist Rakesh Chaurasiya, recognizing their profound impact on the Indian film industry.

Guest of Honour, Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, President of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations,
said, “I am delighted to attend an event that focuses on film tourism. 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, leading it towards success. 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.”

“The entertainment colossus of India is a major contributor to the Indian film industry in terms of
number of films produced and released. Apart from the commercial feat as the biggest trade and
commerce centre in the country, Mumbai is also home to the Bollywood film industry. Over 70% of
Indian motion pictures, television serials and commercials are produced in Mumbai itself. India
needs to step up its efforts to attract foreign film producers to come and shoot in India. India has a
great opportunity to promote inbound tourism beyond popular destinations,” said Mr. Mahesh
Singhi, Chair – Maharashtra Chapter, PHDCCI, Maharashtra.

Meanwhile, Mr. Anil Parashar, Chair – Tourism & Hospitality Committee, PHDCCI, said, “There has
been a significant increase in the number of foreign tourists visiting India in the year 2023 with 7.24
million footfalls till October 2023 as compared to 6.44 million for the corresponding period in 2022.
Currently, India is gaining momentum as a film shooting destination, providing unexplored and
mystic locations as well as generating employment and cultural exchange with local communities.
PHDCCI is committed to creating such meaningful platforms to enable the tourism industry to grow
and flourish further.”

Speaking at the conclave, Dr. Ranjeet Mehta, Executive Director, PHDCCI, said, “Film tourism is not
a new concept, we at PHDCCI see a great opportunity in the sector for employment generation. India
is full of great, undiscovered destinations, and the largest road network in the world today. With all
this development, we want to invite people from around the world to make films at Indian
destinations. This will attract great tourism.”

“We applaud the single window clearance scheme and would urge the Government of India to
extend the scheme to include permission from various authorities such as the Ministry of
Information & Broadcasting, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Civil Aviation, State and local
Municipal bodies, Police and traffic departments. Moreover, tax incentives and financial benefits
such as tax credits, exemptions or subsidies should be extended to private developers investing in
infra related to Film tourism such as Film City, film institutes, Film Studios, etc,” stated Dr. Mehta.

During the conclave, numerous insightful discussions were held with industry experts on ways to boost the Indian film tourism industry. A standout moment was the release of the “Transforming Location into Vacation – A Report on Film Tourism” by PHDCCI and KPMG. This report stressed the importance of India capitalizing on its extensive film heritage to become a premier film tourism destination, which would contribute to economic development and cultural conservation. It pointed out that states such as Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan have implemented policy reforms including single-window clearances and incentives for filmmakers.

The report forecasts a 7.2% annual growth rate for the global film tourism market in the upcoming years. With India producing over 1,500 films annually and being one of the largest film-producing countries, the Media and Entertainment industry is poised to hit INR 8 trillion by 2030. Last year, India’s gross box office collection surpassed INR 12,000 Crores.

It proposes several key measures for enhancing film tourism in India, such as offering tax incentives and financial benefits, government backing for developing national policies and guidelines for the sector, allocating funds specifically for film tourism, forming a supervisory body for policy implementation and dispute resolution, establishing a registration system for agencies handling film festivals and tourism events, fostering public-private partnerships to build infrastructure in smaller cities, easing licensing for production companies, and encouraging investments in advanced film technologies and virtual reality.

The event saw participation from the film industry, policymakers, state film boards, and delegates, marking it as a significant success.

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