Film Industry: Increase in tourism in states that have star brand ambassadors

Increase in tourism in states that have star brand ambassadors

After Amitabh Bachchan became the face of Gujarat tourism, other states have also roped in stars as brand ambassadors

    When Narendra Modi mooted the idea of having Amitabh Bachchan as the state’s brand ambassador they claimed it was because Big B has great credibility and people take him seriously. The campaign translated into a 15% increase in the number of tourists for the state in the last two years. Following this, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee roped in Shah Rukh Khan as the brand ambassador for her state. Prachi Desai represents Goa tourism, Hema Malini is the face of Uttarakhand’s Sparsh Ganga campaign and badminton champ Saina Nehwal is the brand ambassador for Andhra Pradesh since 2010. Haryana (where she was born) also wanted her to be the face of their state. Preity Zinta represents Himachal Pradesh.
    But can celebs influence the tourism of the states they represent? States like Kerala and Rajasthan don’t have stars to create awareness about them, yet have a huge tourist influx. Are stars really a viable vehicle for state tourism?
    Filmmaker Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, who directed SRK’s promotional films on West Bengal, says, “Even though a Bachchan or Shah Rukh don’t have any connect with Gujarat or Bengal, their star appeal does the magic.”
    A combination of credibility and visibility is what works for the celebs. Filmmaker Abhinay Deo says, “A star might also become bigger than the brand. Mr Bachchan was the face of Uttar Pradesh earlier, but that did not help the state. On the other hand, when he lent his name to Gujarat tourism, the revenues picked up.”