Tourism New Zealand research found 30,000 visitors arrived in this country from India in the year to May 2011, up 13% on the previous year. Destination Queenstown (DQ) estimated about half of those visitors had Queenstown on their travel itineraries.
Tourism NZ identified a noticeable spike in visitor numbers after the release of "box office super-hit" I Hate Luv Storys, an Indian romantic comedy which was shot in part in the Wakatipu and reached an audience of 150 million people.
Prime Ministers John Key and Manmohan Singh signed a film co-production agreement in New Delhi in late June.
The agreement aimed to encourage more co-operation between the two nations' film industries by enhancing screen co-investment, joint creative input and film crew interaction.
DQ chief executive Tony Everitt said the Bollywood film industry had a great deal of influence on the Indian tourism market, not just on the continent itself, but on wealthy Indians living around the world.
"Most recently we had I Hate Luv Storys, which was very helpful for us and I think one of the top dozen Bollywood movies of all time," Mr Everitt said.
"It was seen by a massive audience and is great publicity for the town. It's still working for us, even though the movie was released a full 12 months ago.
"The very first one, Kaho Na Pyar Hai, going back a decade ago, really did start New Zealand tourism in the Indian market and Queenstown featured quite strongly in that as well."
Film Otago Southland executive manager Kevin "KJ" Jennings, of Queenstown, said "a few" Indian film crews traditionally shot in the Wakatipu every year. Crews shot one dance scene, or sequence, as part of a larger production, or would film the vast majority on location, he said.
"It's really hard to say what will change because of the agreement. If we get people who see it as an opportunity to take advantage of, or if it we will just get the traditional people."
Although there had not been a noticeable increase in inquiries from Indian film-makers, "from what I'm hearing from DQ, numbers from the Indian market are up, specifically from honeymooners," he said.
