Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, brand ambassador to Gujarat Tourism, has drawn many tourists to the western state in 2011-12, thanks to the advertisement blitzkrieg in the print and audio-visual media centering on the Bollywood star.
With an increase of 25 lakh tourists in 2011-12, Gujarat registered an impressive growth for a second year in a row.
As per data compiled by Gujarat Industrial and Technical Consultancy Organization Ltd (GITCO), the number of tourists, who visited Gujarat during 2011-12, has gone up by 25 lakh to a total of 2.23 crore as against 1.98 crore tourists in 2010-11.
After the launch of ‘Khushboo Gujarat Ki’ campaign by the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd (TCGL), with Mr Bachchan endorsing the state as a tourist destination, the total increase in the tourist arrival was placed at 54 lakhs.
The magic of the Bachchan campaign was also evident in 2010-11, when the number of tourists increased by 28 lakh, said Mr Vipul Mitra, Secretary, Tourism Corporation of Gujarat.