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Gujarat government has spent over Rs 71.62 crore in last two years on its high profile tourism promotion campaign 'Khusbhoo Gujarat Ki' starring legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan.
This was revealed by Tourism minister Saurabh Patel in the state assembly while replying to a question raised by Congress MLA Mohansinh Rathwa.
"In calendar year 2011 and 2012 the government has spent Rs 26,83,99,225 and Rs 44,78,59,514 respectively for the tourism promotion campaign 'Khushboo Gujarat Ki," the minister said in a written reply. Patel further informed that the there has been a significant increase in the number of tourists visiting the state. In 2009-10 over 1.70 crore tourists had visited Gujarat. This figure has risen to over 2.23 crore in the current fiscal, he added.
He further claimed that the increase in the arrival of tourists in the state was because of the Bachchan starer campaign which has been a huge hit across the country and have received national award recently.
In March last year the then tourism minister had told the house that Bachchan had not charged a single rupee for the tourism promotion campaign. However, he had informed that nearly Rs 97 lakh was spent to provide various facilities to Bachchan during his Gujarat visits for shooting of the advertisement.
