How You Can Travel Bollywood Ishtyle

Mumbai has forever been known for the glitz and glamour of Bollywood. With a number of studios, and more than a thousand movies produced here each year, the city beckons all those who want to be a star or see a star. While Mumbai still remains the hub of it all, Bollywood has perpetually spread its wings far and wide. Ooty, Shimla, Kashmir and Kerala have given way to world destinations as more producers go westwards to film their movie musicals.

From shooting An Evening in Paris in 1967 to Mera Naam Joker in 1970, the fraternity made its mark in Paris and Russia and since then there has been no looking back. Albeit the fraternity finds obtaining shooting permission in India a cumbersome task and we know Bollywood’s love of shooting abroad, it has introduced the world to the concept of Bollywood Tourism.

Let’s find out what has set the trend picking…

Bollywood Travels

It shot up with the 1990s flick Dilwale Dulahniyan Le Jayenge (1995) that set the stage for fans willing to shell out money to explore Switzerland – primarily Zurich. It transcended its boundaries across the Atlantic to New York with Kaal Ho Na Ho (2003) and Kabhie Alvida Na Kehna (2006). Ever since then, these locations have become popular tourist destinations for Indian travelers. In fact, Switzerland became one of the first countries to experience an increased flow of Indian tourist traffic - about quarter of a million every year and increasing.

Following Switzerland's experience, other countries such as, Thailand, Dubai, South Africa, Egypt and Canada joined the race to lure Bollywood and thus started the concept of what we call Bollywood tourism. It’s a battle between the emerging global tourist offices to rope in Bollywood saga.

Kaho Na Pyaar Hai (2000) and I Hate Luv Storys (2010) played game changers for New Zealand Tourism Board and Salaam Namaste (2005) gave Australia a boost.

Bollywood Tourism

Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara (2011) partnered with the Spain Tourism Board for its promotions. The country expects to receive more than 56 million Indian tourists this year. The Board took it as an opportunity to promote the ‘Tomatina Festival’ and ‘Running with the Bulls’, besides other water and adventure sports, such as ‘deep-sea diving’ and ‘sky diving’. The beautiful and peaceful roads, exotic beaches, and the scenic countryside that the movie portrayed has suddenly set everyone planning their bachelor’s party in Spain!

It’s not surprising that the tourism industry globally is looking out for ways to make the most of it. Airlines are introducing newer fleet for the Indian expatriate community, and the tour planners are charting out exclusive Bollywood sightseeing tours to match up.

It’s getting big. Bollywood is smitten by the tour bug. Let’s hope it soon captures our screen space with far more unexplored exotic locales.