Netflix and India’s Ministry of Tourism announced a first-of-its-kind partnership on World Tourism Day 2025 (September 27) to showcase Indian destinations through global storytelling. This marks Netflix’s first collaboration with a tourism governing body in South Asia, following similar partnerships with France, Indonesia, Korea, Thailand, Spain, Brazil, and Greece.
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Screen-to-Suitcase Strategy
The partnership leverages Netflix’s massive global reach—having already filmed across 23 Indian states—to integrate tourism promotion into original content storylines. The collaboration highlights destinations already featured in Netflix productions, including the Nilgiri forests from Academy Award-winning documentary The Elephant Whisperers, the Andaman Islands from thriller series Kaala Paani, and bustling Jaipur streets from various productions.
This “screen-to-suitcase” approach capitalizes on set-jetting trends where viewers visit filming locations after watching shows. Netflix research shows audiences increasingly plan travel based on destinations seen in streaming content, making entertainment a powerful tourism marketing channel.
| Partnership Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Announcement Date | World Tourism Day (Sept 27, 2025) |
| Regional First | First South Asian tourism collaboration |
| States Covered | Netflix filmed across 23 Indian states |
| Featured Destinations | Nilgiri, Andaman, Jaipur, Assam, Shimla, Puducherry |
| Notable Shows | The Elephant Whisperers, Kaala Paani |
| Similar Partnerships | France, Korea, Thailand, Spain, Brazil, Greece |
Destinations in the Spotlight
The collaboration specifically promotes diverse Indian landscapes: Assam’s tea estates and wildlife sanctuaries, Himachal Pradesh’s mountain retreats including Shimla, Puducherry’s French colonial architecture and beaches, the misty Nilgiri hills of Tamil Nadu, and the pristine Andaman Islands.
By showcasing India’s geographic and cultural diversity through authentic storytelling rather than traditional advertisements, the partnership aims to position India as a must-visit destination for global travelers seeking authentic experiences.
Explore India tourism initiatives and discover more travel trends at TechnoSports.
Global Storytelling Meets Tourism
Gunjit Jain, VP Content at Netflix India, emphasized that the partnership reimagines how audiences discover India through the power of storytelling. Rather than creating standalone tourism content, Netflix will creatively integrate Indian destinations into original series, films, and documentaries reaching 280+ million subscribers worldwide.
This organic integration approach proves more effective than traditional tourism marketing. When viewers emotionally connect with characters exploring Indian locations, they develop genuine interest in visiting those places themselves—a more powerful motivator than conventional advertisements.
Economic and Cultural Impact
The collaboration addresses multiple objectives: boosting tourist arrivals and revenue for India’s tourism sector, promoting sustainable and authentic travel experiences respecting local communities, showcasing India’s rich cultural heritage to global audiences, and supporting regional economies in lesser-known destinations featured in Netflix content.
Post-pandemic, India’s tourism sector seeks innovative strategies to attract international visitors. Netflix’s global platform provides unparalleled reach, potentially inspiring millions of viewers to add India to their travel bucket lists.
Following Proven Models
Netflix’s tourism partnerships in countries like Korea (following Squid Game’s success), Spain (Money Heist locations), and France (Emily in Paris tours) generated substantial tourism increases. The Ministry of Tourism aims to replicate this success by leveraging Netflix’s storytelling prowess and massive subscriber base.
The collaboration launched during World Tourism Day underscores India’s commitment to innovative tourism marketing that goes beyond traditional promotional campaigns, embracing entertainment as a powerful destination marketing tool.
FAQs
When did Netflix announce its India tourism partnership?
Netflix and India’s Ministry of Tourism announced the collaboration on World Tourism Day, September 27, 2025.
Which Indian destinations will Netflix showcase?
Featured destinations include Nilgiri forests, Andaman Islands, Jaipur, Assam, Shimla, Puducherry, and locations across 23 states where Netflix filmed.
