Following the participation of Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) at the India International Film Tourism Conclave (IIFTC) earlier in the year, seven Bollywood film directors will be visited Kenya recently. This will be an opportunity for Kenya to showcase its potential as an ideal filming destination and to scout for some of the best shooting locations for Indian movies. Leading production houses of India include Yashraj Films Studios, Dharma Productions, Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, Excel Entertainment and Disney UTV, amongst others.
Kenya offers wonderful filming locations and the required supporting infrastructure. The destination has hosted over 80 international films including; Out of Africa (1985) Born Free, The Colour Purple (second unit), The Constant Gardner (2005), Nowhere in Africa, I Dreamed of Africa (second unit), and Walk with Lions, amongst others.
Jacinta Nzioka – Mbithi, KTB Chief Executive Officer said, “The 2015 tourism statistics saw India overtake Germany to become Kenya’s 3rd top performing source market after the UK and US. We are keen on leveraging further on Kenya’s diverse product offering and the huge Indian settlement which gives Kenya a great competitive advantage to increase its market share. We welcome the producers to the country and we are certain that this is just the beginning and Kenya will turn into a household name for the Indian movie makers.”
Chiranjib Biswas, Destination Manager, Kenya Tourism Board said, “The Indian film industry is growing and its success can undoubtedly be attributed to the huge fan following, both in India and overseas. The goal behind this outreach to Indian film industry is to highlight the benefits of filming in Kenya and to let the industry know that Kenya offers ideal locations, equipment, technical support and the infrastructure required for successful filming.”
The group’s tour itinerary included a site visit to Samburu National Reserve, a filming location for Survivor and the Last Breakthrough. The group also got to experience Crescent Island by boat, where parts of the film Out Of Africa was shot. Kenya Airways and the Kenya Film Commission were key partners in this venture that saw producers meet some film experts over a networking cocktail hosted at the end of their tour.
