Major Bollywood production company Dharma Productions will film in Queenstown in late January, putting New Zealand on screen in front of as many as 150 million viewers.

The major feature film I Hate Luv Stories stars Bollywood heart-throb Imran Khan and the beautiful Sonam Kapoor. Due for release in May 2010, it has already been noted by Bollywood critics as a film to watch out for.

Tourism New Zealand’s Acting Chief Executive Tim Hunter says the opportunity to showcase New Zealand and for media coverage in India is huge.

“The movie itself will attract a huge audience but the media surrounding the filming and the release will also present great opportunities for promoting New Zealand as a visitor destination,” he says.

During the filming in January, Tourism New Zealand will also be hosting Indian media who will follow the two lead actors as they participate in tourist activities in the Queenstown area.

One of India’s leading fashion magazines has also expressed interest in using the lead actors in a major fashion shoot, using Queenstown as a backdrop.

But the film will do more than just showcase Queenstown’s stunning scenery; it will also highlight the exciting experiences that the region offers. “With the storyline being based on a couple coming to New Zealand to film a movie, there is opportunity for placement of tourism products in the film,” Mr Hunter says.

2009 has already been a busy year for Tourism New Zealand’s PR programme in India. Coverage of the Indian cricket team during the March cricket test reached an estimated 320 million across online, print and broadcast outlets including shots and footage of the team participating in tourist activities in Auckland.

Mr Hunter says the impact on holiday arrivals has been obvious; holiday arrivals from India in March 2009 jumped up by almost 70 per cent from the same month a year earlier and arrivals have been rising since then.

“Results like those around the Indian cricket tour prove the power of these kinds of initiatives. We hope that I Hate Luv Stories will continue to lift New Zealand’s profile in India. Tourism New Zealand is working to building awareness of New Zealand as a visitor destination and we hope to move India into the top performance spot in South Asia,” he says.

The filming in Queenstown begins in late January, with the 65-strong crew and cast staying for almost two weeks.