Bollywood’s Anupam Sharma offers Indian tourists a Jhappi Time - hug time - in NSW

FORGET the shrimp, “this time we’re throwing Indian food on the barbie” as a famous director leads the push for more Indian tourists.

NEW South Wales is hoping to attract more Indian visitors with the promise of a hug.

The state’s tourism body, Destination NSW, has launched Australia’s largest ever campaign targeted at the Indian tourist market, aimed at increasing the number of visitors from the subcontinental giant by at least 10 per cent in 18 months.

The ‘Jhappi Time’ - literally Hug Time in Hindi - campaign shows four Sikh and Hindu families from India enjoying time with family and friends in Sydney and NSW.

Filmed by world famous Australian-Indian Bollywood director Anupam Sharma, the campaign employs many of the romantic vistas and magical streetscapes typically favoured by tourism campaigns, but also focuses on the importance of family and cultural ties.

“I wanted to show Indians the things that have kept me in Australia,” Mr Sharma said.

“The fun, frolic but most importantly the diversity - be it of people, location and the diversity of families from India.

“The campaign has a Western body but an Indian heart,” he said.

The 60-second stories have been filmed at well-known New South Wales locations, such as the Blue Mountains, Manly, Taronga Zoo and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and of course include a little Bollywood dancing.

They will be screened in cinemas in New Delhi and Mumbai, feature on billboards, and will also be accompanied by print, online and social media campaigns on both the subcontinent and among Australia’s Indian community.

Destination NSW is also partnering with major Indian travel wholesalers to roll out the campaign countrywide and offer travel packages and destination advice.

“We are hoping to see a 10 per cent increase over the next 12-18 months as a minimum,” chief executive Sandra Chipchase said.

“We’re initially focusing on Delhi and Mumbai as the two main cities because they are the countries largest cities and because Air India flies non-stop between Delhi and Sydney.”

Strong family ties and growing tourist interest saw more than 77,000 Indian visitors arrive in NSW in the year to September 2013, accounting for 48 per cent of all Indians visiting Australia.

This placed Indians in the top 10 international arrivals to the state, and among the biggest spenders.

“India is one of the State’s most important tourism, trade and business investment markets, and ‘Jhappi Time’ will enhance tourism from India, which is currently worth an estimated $183 million a year to the NSW economy,” Premier Barry O’Farrell said.

He said the campaign “is as important to NSW today as throwing another shrimp on the barbie was for Australia a number of decades ago”.

“But this time we’re throwing Indian food on the barbie,” he said.

Last week Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his New Zealand counterpart John Key agreed to allow joint tourist visas for the duration of the 2015 ICC World Cup - a move which will make it easier for cricket-mad Indians to visit for the sport’s premier event.

The NSW campaign also follows an Indian Government’s announcement that Australia will be one of 180 countries whose citizens will now be able to gain a visa on arrival to India.

The move is expected to further boost two-way tourism between the countries.