From Silver Screen to Travel Dreams: Film Tourism in India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54536/ajth.v4i2.6415Keywords:
Bollywood Influence, Cinematic Travel Motivation, Destination Branding, Film TourismAbstract
This theoretical study investigates the rapidly growing phenomena of film tourism in India and its impact on the travel motivations, behaviours, and destination selections of Indian travellers. The research, relying solely on secondary data, emphasises how Bollywood, regional cinema, and increasingly OTT platforms serve as significant catalysts for destination branding by influencing tourist perceptions through engaging visual tales. The results indicate that films substantially influence both domestic and international travel, elevating destinations like Ladakh, Udaipur, Spain, and Switzerland to iconic tourism status. The research highlights the economic, cultural, and social advantages of film-induced tourism, such as increased destination visibility, local job creation, and reinforced cultural identity. Nonetheless, issues like overtourism, environmental deterioration, and disproportionate regional growth deserve sustainable policy responses. The analysis confirms that film tourism presents a significant possibility for India’s tourist sector, contingent upon responsible management of expansion.
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