Norway hopes to attract four Indian film projects every year

Country has announced up to 25% subsidy for global production houses; its currency has shed 20%, making filming in Norway much cheaper

Starting 2016, Norway, known as the land of midnight sun, is expecting to attract at least four Indian film projects every year, thereby increasing inbound tourist arrivals from India, according to Norwegian ambassador to India, Nils Ragnar Kamsvag.

"Norway was an unexplored destination for many Indian travellers until a couple of years ago. However, the prospect of seeing fjords, the Midnight Sun and Northern Lights is now drawing many tourists from India to Norway. And, the more these locations are shown on the big screen in India, the more focus will grow on inbound tourism," he told Business Standard.

According to him, the Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi has granted about 8,500 visa applications for tourist purposes last year, a substantial growth in visa applications for tourism since 2012.

Stating that Norway's ministry of culture, through the Norwegian Film Institute, has announced up to 25 per cent subsidy for international production houses, Kamsvag said that the value of the Norwegian currency, Krone, had fallen by 20 per cent against major currencies last year, making filming in Norway or just visiting the country considerably cheaper.

"This year, Norway has announced a new incentive scheme that grants films that are produced in Norway a 25 per cent return on costs. The Norwegian Film institute hopes this will encourage an increase in foreign film production in the country. The government and the institute anticipate that this will bring in more international projects, including from countries like India," he added.