Written by new-contact on Jan 20, 2015. Posted in On Location

Online map of Bollywood shoots in Scotland designed to boost film tourism

A new online map launched by VisitScotland details Scottish filming locations used by Bollywood films and is intended to boost film tourism from India. Scotland got a profile boost with the US drama Outlander and has also hosted nearly two dozen Bollywood films.

Over the last 15 years, Scottish landmarks like Edinburgh Castle, Glen Coe and Glasgow’s George Square have all appeared in Bollywood movies looking for new and interesting international locations to showcase for their audiences.

The Bollywood Scotland map is sponsored by Qatar Airways, which will be launching daily services between Edinburgh and Doha from May this year.

“Bollywood filmmakers have an enduring love affair with our cities, castles, lochs and glens, making Scotland the perfect stage for their dreamy love songs and elaborate dance numbers,” said Vineet Lal, VisitScotland’s Senior Marketing Manager, Emerging Markets.

“While Scotland has often starred as a backdrop for musical sequences, it increasingly plays an integral part in the narrative in films such as Edinburgh-set Mausam (2011) and the Loch Ness-based thriller Three: Love Lies Betrayal (2009). This map will give prospective Indian visitors yet another reason to visit Scotland and step into the magical world of Bollywood.”

Scotland has launched two other online maps over the past year, both intended to boost the country’s international film tourism appeal. A map of Edinburgh’s film history was launched in May and another showcasing locations used for Outlander was unveiled in August.

The success of Game of Thrones from its Northern Ireland base, and the continuing impact of the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies in New Zealand, are considered the top examples of the potential impact of film tourism for countries around the world.

(Outlander photo: Nick Briggs – © 2014 Sony PicturesTelevision Inc)