Kenya wooing Bollywood producers to shoot films there

The tourist department of Kenya, after attracting hordes of Indian tourists, is now trying to woo Bollywood producers to shoot their films there, a top government official said today.
        
There has been an upswing in the number of Indian tourists flying to the African country as close to 40,000 people visited Kenya between January and October 2010, up 34% over the same period the year before.
       
KTB Marketing Director Jennifer Opondo said the board is now marketing Kenya as an ideal location for film shooting.
       
"After due diligence with the Indian film production houses, the Kenya Film Commission is expected to come out with a policy that would facilitate film shooting," Opondo said.       

"We are working in coordination with the Kenya Film Commission and are studying the dynamics of Indian film production houses so as to able to support them in their endeavours," she said.
       
"The Kenya Film Commission has been acting as one stop shop for the filmmakers now, cutting across the tedious licensing regime prevalent earlier," Opondo said.
       
"The commission has also started suggesting suitable sites for film shooting to the production houses visiting Kenya," she said.
        
She also said that having gained foothold in the Indian market with a representative office, KTB is likely to increase promotional investments in India.
       
"The opening of our representative office in India last year has laid the foundation for us. All I can foresee now is there will be improvement in budget for promotional investments in India," Opondo said.