The National Film Awards will now be taken to some of the country’s best tourist destinations as part of an initiative to bring together the film and tourism sectors, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Tuesday.
Interacting with the media, Vaishnaw said the initiative has been inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of taking national events beyond conventional venues and connecting them with destinations across the country.
The Minister said the endeavour is to take the National Film Awards “beyond a conference room” and bring them closer to people while promoting tourism.
He cited Ekta Nagar in Gujarat as an example, saying the destination has gained global recognition and is home to the world’s tallest statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Vaishnaw said that the visit of the President of India and leading personalities from the Indian film industry to such tourist destinations would provide an opportunity for more people to discover and experience these places.
The Minister also invited all States to submit proposals identifying their best tourism destinations for hosting the National Film Awards.
He said the proposals should include details of the best available facilities as well as a plan for the 360-degree development of the proposed destination.
The State whose proposal is selected will host the subsequent National Film Awards at the proposed tourist destination.
Vaishnaw recalled that during India’s G20 presidency, events were organised across different parts of the country and in various States.
He said taking the National Film Awards across the country is part of a broader effort to explore how film and tourism can be brought together.
According to the Minister, such an approach would benefit tourist destinations while also enabling the National Film Awards to reach physical locations across the country.
The initiative is aimed at using the visibility and reach of the film industry to highlight India’s diverse tourism destinations and create greater public engagement with them.
