Singh is Kinng, Credit: Plugger.com.au, Aug 2008

Bollywood blockbuster gives Gold Coast star appeal. Singh is Kinng is currently showing at Reading Cinemas Harbour Town. The Gold Coast hopes to welcome more Indian visitors following the region’s starring role in the latest Bollywood blockbuster.

Released earlier this month, Singh is Kinng has proved to be a Bollywood box office hit achieving record sales in India in its opening week, and according to one critic it is "the biggest Bollywood title of 2008." Gold Coast Tourism CEO Martin Winter believes its good news for local business. "The Gold Coast features extensively in Singh is Kinng - around 75 per cent of the film. Coupled with the initiatives we have in place in India to drive visitation, we do expect to see flow on benefit to the local tourism industry from the film’s success overseas," he said.

Singh is Kinng, featuring Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar, has grossed Rs 595 million (Indian Rupees) worldwide in its opening week. In India alone, the film’s gross collections are Rs 450 million (approximately AUD$11.8 million). The highest first week collections for a Hindi film to date had been for Shah Rukh Khan-Deepika Padukone which earned Rs 370 million.

Singh is Kinng opened on more screens worldwide than ever before for a Bollywood film, including in Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa and America. The film, featuring iconic Gold Coast locations such as Surfers Paradise, Q1 and the theme parks, is the first Bollywood film made in Australia using an all Australian technical crew. Instinct India assists with Indian movie, television and video shoots in Australia, and managed the film’s shoot on the Gold Coast.

Director Luke Gracias agrees Australian locations can benefit from appearing in Bollywood movies. "Bollywood is big business with a huge reach – around 4 billion cinema tickets are purchased each year which is 1 billion more than tickets purchased for Hollywood films! With such popularity, it’s not surprising that the Indian travellers are heavily influenced by their favourite films when selecting a destination to visit," he said. "The exciting and exotic cosmopolitan feel of the Gold Coast plus the beaches and scenery are ideal ingredients for a glamorous Bollywood movie, and no doubt movie-goers will be attracted to it." Sunil Gupta, Chief Operating Officer of Kuoni Holidays India understands the influence of a Bollywood film on its audience.

"Indians are becoming aspirational about travelling abroad, and many expect to have the Bollywood film shooting locales as an intergral part of their holiday itinerary. Wherever Bollywood touches base, fans and tourist follow. Indians are travelling more than ever before and Bollywood films have indeed created awareness amongst Indian tourists to venture to these places," he said.

"By attracting Bollywood filmmakers, these destinations are also attracting Indian tourists who take delight in visiting locales where their favorite stars have been shooting. Many Indian tourists who are movie lovers like to be able to say they have travelled to the same places as their favourite movie star." Mr Winter says tourism bodies recognise the value of exposure from film appearances, particularly colourful, popular Bollywood films. "The Bollywood industry is worth around $2.5 billion.

It’s not surprising destinations worldwide, such as London, Switzerland and Singapore, are enthusiastic to feature in its films. The exposure a film provides a destination can reap significant success for tourism to the area," said Mr Winter. Mr Gupta agrees, "Bollywood films featuring foreign locales have a huge impact in showcasing the destination to the rest of the world.

It does increase the number of tourists keen to explore and visit these foreign locales.". In 2007, the New South Wales Government launched a tourist campaign on the back of the release of Bollywood movie, Heyy Baby that was extensively shot in Sydney. The Singapore Tourism Board has a Film in Singapore! Scheme, backed by a $10 million fund, which aims to promote Singapore as an attractive destination for international visitors through the effective medium of movies and television.

Tourism Australia has associated itself with Baz Lurhmann’s film Australia. Tourism Research Australia projects India to be a significant contributor to the growth in the value of tourism exports over the next 10 years. Recognising this opportunity for growth, Gold Coast Tourism has invested time and resources to leverage opportunities from the Singh is Kinng film, and help drive visitation from the Indian market.

Gold Coast Tourism has partnered with India’s number one cinema chain, PVR, as well as Kuoni Travel Group India to directly target cinema goers during the film’s release. Gold Coast trade and consumer promotions, travel packages and advertisements are all currently running in conjunction with the film. "We are thrilled that the Gold Coast was a first choice destination for Singh is Kinng, and we are making the most of the opportunity.

We look forward to assisting with future Bollywood films," said Mr Winter..