National Film Awards to travel to India’s top tourist destinations; Ashwini Vaishnaw invites states’ proposals
States will be invited to propose tourism destinations with suitable facilities and 360-degree development plans for hosting future editions of the National Film Awards.
The minister invited states to identify and propose their best tourism destinations for hosting subsequent editions of the National Film Awards.
NEW DELHI: The National Film Awards will be taken beyond conventional venues and hosted at some of the country’s leading tourist destinations, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Tuesday.
Speaking to the media, Vaishnaw said the initiative was inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s approach of taking major national events to different parts of the country and connecting them with prominent destinations.
States invited to submit proposals
The minister invited states to identify and propose their best tourism destinations for hosting subsequent editions of the National Film Awards.
He said proposals should include details of the facilities available at the destination as well as a plan for its 360-degree development. The state whose proposal is selected will host the subsequent National Film Awards at the proposed tourist destination.
Vaishnaw cited Ekta Nagar in Gujarat as an example, noting its growing international recognition and its association with the Statue of Unity, the world’s tallest statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
He said bringing the President of India, leading personalities from the Indian film industry and other participants to such destinations would provide an opportunity for more people to discover and experience them.
Linking films with tourism
According to Vaishnaw, the initiative seeks to bring the National Film Awards closer to the public by taking the event out of conventional conference settings and into physical destinations.
He also pointed to the experience of the G20, when events were organised across different parts of India, as an example of how major national events can help showcase different regions.
The Minister said the effort to bring film and tourism together could benefit tourist destinations while also giving the National Film Awards a wider public and geographical presence.
The initiative is intended to explore how major film events can contribute to tourism promotion and help showcase India’s diverse destinations to visitors from across the country and beyond.
