The Strongest Currency in Indian Tourism

It’s classic Bollywood: A train whistles through the Swiss Alps, the kohl-eyed heroine leans out, her long black hair catching the breeze. The handsome hero watches, love-struck, as a soulful melody plays in the background. This scene may be the epitome of a movie magic romance, but it’s also postcard-perfect destination marketing.

Bollywood — as the Hindi film industry is called (reluctantly by some) — has become an economic force in the global tourism industry, turning film locations into travel destinations overnight. Whether it’s Raj Kapoor’s Russia, Yash Chopra’s Switzerland, or Zoya Akhtar’s Spain, Indian filmmakers have turned foreign landscapes into objects of desire. And with the rise of India’s traveling middle class, everyone wants tourists from the world’s most film-obsessed market.

The numbers back it up. The global film tourism market is projected to reach $136 billion by 2033 and 52% of Indian travelers said they are largely influenced by television and films, often choosing to visit places they have seen on screen, according to Skyscanner’s 2024-2025 Horizons report.

“Indian and UAE travelers are less interested in guidebooks,” Skyscanner said. “Indian, South Korean and UAE travelers like getting their inspo (inspiration) from film and TV shows.”

Zoya Akhtar’s 2011 film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara proved a powerful advertisement for Spanish tourism. Within a year of its release, the number of Indian visitors to Spain nearly doubled to more than 60,000, according to a FICCI report. Building on that momentum, Spain and India signed a film co-production agreement in 2012. By 2015, Spain was welcoming 85,000 travelers from India.

India’s domestic locations benefit too. In 2009, the film 3 Idiots turned Ladakh’s Pangong Lake into a must-visit spot. Meanwhile, Ramoji Rao Film City — famed for both production and tourism — in India’s Hyderabad draws an average of 1.5 million visitors  annually, advisory firm KPMG said in a film tourism report last year. 

Destinations and travel companies are catching on. They’re rushing to do deals with Bollywood — signing up the biggest stars and contracting with production companies.

From Romance to Adventure: Evolving Narratives in Tourism Marketing

For tourism boards, the connection between Bollywood and Indian travelers is too valuable to ignore. Strategies have evolved beyond passive location placements to full-fledged marketing partnerships with dynamic travel narratives.

Take Switzerland – already a favorite destination for Indian travelers — but seen mostly as a romantic holiday destination. Great for honeymoons or family holidays. The tourism board there wanted to change that. So it signed Ranveer Singh as brand ambassador in 2016 to showcase other aspects of Switzerland, such as its outdoor attractions, adventure sports, and gastronomy.

“We had an extremely effective three-year campaign with Singh where we managed to attain all our objectives,” said Ritu Sharma, Deputy Director and Marketing Head — India at Switzerland Tourism. “Our overnight figures grew, and a new region, the Lake Geneva area, saw a 70% rise in Indian visitors post the campaign.”

Sharma acknowledged that it can be difficult to connect results to a specific campaign. 

The trend isn’t limited to one-off successes. Switzerland has leveraged this cultural connection for decades, and the impact of Bollywood’s soft power is so significant that Interlaken has film director Yash Chopra’s statue. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge was shot in part at the Titlis mountain and there is still a cutout of actors Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol.   

Switzerland has also been aggressively integrating Bollywood celebrities into structured campaigns. As Sharma said, “Indians are now asking for activities like paragliding and jetboating in very big numbers in Interlaken and the interest in Montreux still remains even 5 years after the (Ranveer Singh) campaign.” 

Dubai Tourism’s deal with Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan for the BeMyGuest campaign in 2016 racked up over 20 million views within just two weeks of its launch.

“Bollywood has done a lot for Dubai,” CEO of Dubai Tourism Issam Kazim said at the Skift India Summit last year. “It’s more than just SRK (Shah Rukh Khan) as well. Dubai was always mentioned positively by India, there’s a positive synergy. SRK has that organic energy. There’s no act that he likes Dubai — he genuinely does.”

Last year, actors and father-daughter duo Saif Ali Khan and Sara Ali Khan starred in Dubai’s “A Whole New You” tourism campaign. Neighboring emirate Abu Dhabi has signed on Ranveer Singh as its brand ambassador. Dubai even has a theme park dedicated to the genre: Bollywood Parks Dubai.

Hotels And OTAs Jump In

Hospitality brands are following suit and getting even more creative. Hilton’s association with actors Deepika Padukone and Sidharth Malhotra extends beyond conventional endorsements. 

“The objective was to craft meaningful, authentic opportunities for the chosen celebrities to genuinely engage with our brand,” said Manish Tolani, VP & Commercial Director, South Asia, Hilton.

“Our intent is clear — we want to make these partnerships feel authentic, personal, and memorable.”

Just the announcement of Deepika Padukone garnered over 1.3 million organic social engagements and generated more than 30 million impressions last year for Hilton. According to Tolani, it helped the hotel company “win new fans and draw our brands ever closer to Indian customers.”

“Bollywood’s unique ability to resonate across demographics and geographies in India makes these collaborations incredibly rewarding,” said Tolani. “The influence of Deepika Padukone and Sidharth Malhotra extends far beyond the silver screen, and it has been pivotal in significantly elevating Hilton’s brand visibility, connecting us with audiences in ways that go beyond traditional advertising.”

Tolani said these associations have led to a noticeable surge in direct traffic to Hilton.com and downloads of the Hilton Honors app. 

On the international front, the partnerships have piqued interest in key destinations such as the Maldives, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. This has translated into increased leisure bookings and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) leads.

In 2023, Accor partnered with Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif to star in its latest campaign of ALL-Accor Live Limitless, the hotel brand’s lifestyle loyalty programme.

India’s travel landscape is being reshaped by its rising middle class, which makes up 31% of the population today and is expected to reach 60% by 2047. With 65% of the population under 35, travel aspirations are higher than ever, and their favorite pastime: watching movies. Bollywood acts as the conduit between these dreams and reality.

The Indian luxury traveler today is younger, digital-first, and highly influenced by content, Tolani said.

Talking about choosing actors Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt as brand ambassadors, MakeMyTrip’s chief marketing officer and chief business officer — corporate, Raj Rishi Singh, said, “By tapping into their strong appeal among millennials and Gen Z, we bridge traditional travel preferences with modern aspirations.”

According to Singh, MakeMyTrip‘s campaigns focus on real-life travel experiences and relatable challenges, positioning its products as fun, engaging, and effortlessly useful.

Rewriting the Script With Social Media

For anyone watching the film industry of late, it’s in a profound state of flux. With the rise of social media and travel influencers, Bollywood’s grip on destination marketing is evolving.

Sharma from Switzerland Tourism acknowledged this shift: “Bollywood had a stronger influence in the ’90s and early 2000s. Today, travelers use multiple sources for inspiration.”

To sustain this relevance, destinations are incorporating Bollywood more strategically. Switzerland, for example, only collaborates with films that meaningfully integrate the country.

“We are now looking at collaborating only with those films where Switzerland can be showcased in the way we would like to promote it to travellers — storylines have to be adapted to destinations, places and highlights need to be mentioned in scripts and the viewer should be able to do the activities shown in the movies,” Sharma said.

MakeMyTrip’s Singh noted the evolution in the past decade. “Our long-standing association with actors Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt goes beyond traditional endorsements. We have not only leveraged their personalities but also pushed creative boundaries to present them in refreshing and unconventional ways.. highlighting how MakeMyTrip offers smart solutions.”

And when Bollywood celebrities are not shooting films they could market a destination through social media. This influence is clear in destinations like Fiji, where a single celebrity visit can work wonders. 

CEO of Fiji Tourism, Brent Hill, said, “The exposure we gained from actors Rakulpreet Singh and Jackie Bhagnani’s visit was massive — we absolutely plan to engage with more Bollywood celebrities.” Hill further explained why this works well for Fiji, “We don’t have the budget to promote in India’s Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, but a well-executed campaign like the Rakul campaign can extend our reach significantly.”

The future of Bollywood tourism marketing lies in multi-platform storytelling, where influencers, digital content, and celebrities create an ecosystem that inspires and converts travelers. Whether it’s the next blockbuster film set in an exotic location or a social media-driven travel campaign, Bollywood’s role in global tourism isn’t fading — it’s just evolving.

For destinations, the challenge is to integrate this magic into a broader, digital-first strategy that clicks with the next generation of Indian travelers.

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Peden Doma Bhutia is Asia Editor at Skift. Contact her at pdb@skift.com
Graphics by Beatrice Tagliaferri

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