Swiss train named after Bollywood star Ranveer Singh
Switzerland Tourism/Valentin Flauraud
In a bid to attract more Indian tourists to western Switzerland, a Swiss train company has temporarily named one of its trains after the Indian actor Ranveer Singh. The star, who is already an ambassador for Switzerland Tourism, was present at the ceremony in Zweisimmen on Monday.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch
The train of the MOB railway company (Compagnie du chemin de fer Montreux Oberland Bernois) on the Golden Pass line between Montreux on Lake Geneva and the upscale resort of Gstaad will carry Singh’s name until the end of October. The schedule and announcements will refer to the train as the Ranveer Singh train for the entire summer season.
The 32-year old actor is one of the highest paid stars in the Indian film industry. He is usually known for playing the romantic lead. However, his last film Padmaavat, based on a fictional tale involving a Hindu queen and a Muslim king (played by Singh) led to violent protests in India. The controversy generated by the film helped it become one of the biggest grossers in Hindi cinema.
“Ranveer hadn’t been to the Bernese Oberland or Lake Geneva region before and we wanted him to experience it. It is also a region that is not well known among Indian tourists and we hope the train will change that,” Switzerland Tourism spokesperson, Markus Berger told swissinfo.ch.
Switzerland Tourism had engaged the services of Singh in 2016 to boost the country’s visibility in the subcontinent. The objective was to convince more young Indians to visit the Alpine nation. For decades, the Alpine nation has lured Indian tourists thanks to free publicity in the form of films that showcased its landscape in song and dance sequences. However, this trend is waning resulting in fewer young Indians being exposed to Switzerland. This could present a problem in the future considering that around 60% of Indian visitors to the country are under 35 years old, according to the Swiss Hotel Association.
Singh is not the first Indian from show business to have a Swiss train named after him. In 2011, the Jungfrau Railways named one of their trains after the late film director and producer Yash Chopra – an honour shared only with the railway’s founder, Adolf Guyer. Chopra is widely credited with putting Switzerland on the Indian tourist radar with many of his films featuring a Swiss backdrop.
More
More
Indian tourist numbers jump after roping in Bollywood ambassador
This content was published on
Switzerland Tourism had engaged the services of Indian film star Ranveer Singh last November to boost the country’s visibility in the subcontinent. The objective was to convince more young Indians to visit the Alpine nation. It appears to have had an impact, with a 25.5% increase in visitor numbers and 27.1% increase in the number…
In Switzerland more people are being referred to electrical therapies or psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Are there similar approaches where you live?
Swiss parliament advances individual taxation for married couples
This content was published on
The Swiss House of Representatives made progress on individual taxation for married couples, suggesting a compromise to address federal tax losses.
Valcambi withdraws from Swiss Better Gold Association
This content was published on
The Swiss refinery said it's no longer appropriate to collaborate with the organisation, which aims to improve working and living conditions in mining communities.
This content was published on
The Swiss House of Representatives voted against a motion to introduce specific regulations for AI-generated “deepfakes.”
Swiss foreign ministry alarmed by Gaza developments
This content was published on
The Swiss foreign ministry wrote on X that international humanitarian law forbids the annexation of occupied territories.
Swiss government warns some EU agreements could be rejected by parliament or electorate
This content was published on
The EU sees the agreements with Switzerland as a single package, but the Federal Council believes that one or more agreements could be rejected.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Controversial Indian movie plays to packed halls in Switzerland
This content was published on
Swiss premieres of the Bollywood movie Padmaavat were sold out partly due to the threats and violence against the movie’s makers and actors in India.
Indian tourist numbers jump after roping in Bollywood ambassador
This content was published on
Switzerland Tourism had engaged the services of Indian film star Ranveer Singh last November to boost the country’s visibility in the subcontinent. The objective was to convince more young Indians to visit the Alpine nation. It appears to have had an impact, with a 25.5% increase in visitor numbers and 27.1% increase in the number…
Switzerland attempts a makeover to seduce young Indians
This content was published on
Will Indian film star Ranveer Singh help Switzerland shed its image as a “beautiful but boring” destination and attract young Indian tourists?
Swiss honour Indian filmmaker Yash Chopra with statue
This content was published on
The 350 kg statue, which now stands in Kurssaal Garden in the central Swiss town of Interlaken, canton Bern, is a replica of the one in Chopra’s film studio in Mumbai and was unveiled by his widow, Pamela Chopra. Chopra’s daughter-in-law, the Bollywood actress Rani Mukerji – who also featured in his films, such as the highly…
This content was published on
Small businesses have benefited from the Indian film industry's choice of Switzerland as a backdrop for song and dance sequences. But for some companies, it comes at a cost.
This content was published on
More and more Indian tourists are discovering the joys of travelling independently in Switzerland, disdaining package tours.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.