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PHDCCI held its 6th Global Film Tourism Conclave on, Transforming Location into Vacation at Novotel, Juhu, Mumbai on March 1, 2024.

The event featured addresses by esteemed dignitaries including the Guest of Honour, Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, President of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Representatives of the Ministry of Tourism and Tourism Boards of various states. Furthermore, the renowned filmmaker duo Abbas Mustan, famous scriptwriter and filmmaker Mr. Rumy Jafry, singer Hariharan, Actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Grammy winner Flutist Rakesh Chaurasiya were honoured for their significant contributions to the Indian film industry during the session.

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.

Among several thought-provoking sessions with industry experts on measures required to elevate the Indian film tourism sector, the highlight of the conclave was the unveiling of the PHDCCI-KPMG report, titled, ‘Transforming Location into Vacation – A Report on Film Tourism’ which emphasised the need for India to leverage its rich cinematic heritage to position itself as a leading film tourism destination, leading to economic growth and cultural preservation. It highlighted that states like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and several others have introduced several policy reforms such as single window clearances and incentives for filmmakers.

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 INR12,000 Crore.

The compelling report recommended several significant steps like tax incentives and financial benefits, government support to develop a national-level policy and guidelines for the film tourism sector; allocating dedicated funds to support film tourism initiatives; establishing a supervisory committee to ensure effective implementation of policies and dispute resolution; implementing a clear process for registering agencies managing film festivals and tourism-related events; encouraging public-private partnerships for infrastructure development in tier-2 and tier-3 cities; simplifying licensing requirements for production houses and streamlining the clearance process and promoting investment in modern film technologies and virtual reality experiences, among others to help make India the film tourism destination of the world.

The event garnered attendance from members of the film fraternity, policymakers, film boards from various states, and delegates, contributing to its success.

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