It doesn't take rocket science to figure out what Bollywood can do to certain travel destinations. Take Switzerland, for example. The moment an Indian hears this word, the only images that come to mind are Yash Raj heroines in their chiffon sarees, the snowy Alps, and the Eurail. Ever since filmmaker Yash Chopra decided to film some of his most-popular films in the European country - with Rishi Kapoor-Sridevi's Chandni being the most famous of the lot - Indians have put Switzerland in the bucket lists and how.

For the 90s kids, growing up with the dream of running into their Raj Malhotras and Simran Singhs on board the Eurail has been an eternal wish. And even though newer destinations crop up on every young Indian adult's to-visit list every now and then, Switzerland still remains among their countries-to-visit-before-I-die plans.

Yash Chopra put Switzerland on the travel map of Indians so firmly that the government of the country even decided to honour him with a statue in Interlaken, the place that Chopra shot most of his films in, and name a Jungfrau train after him. The romance of Switzerland, thanks to one filmmaker, is an undeniable one now if you're an Indian.

The same happened with Paris too. A photo in front of the Eiffel Tower has remained many Indian's dream ever since they saw An Evening In Paris on the big screen. Kissing a lover in front of the world's most-visited paid monument too has been on several youngster's bucket list for years, decades. Out of the 18 million people who visit Paris every year, India contributes to about 3,00,000 (~1.6 per cent) tourists. In 2017, visiting the Eiffel Tower during any day of the year and not overhearing an Indian language or seeing Indian tourists is a near-impossible occurrence.

Bollywood, for the average Indian moviegoer, has been the best way to travel to little-known destinations. Films have not only made us dream about travelling to places, but also made us get up and get that ticket to the place.

In recent times, take countries like Croatia and Bulgaria, for example. Dubrovnik has suddenly become the rage with Indians, what with travel agencies routinely taking people to Croatia and even custom-editing tours for them. Of course, the rage called Game of Thrones too added its bit to the charm of Dubrovnik (King's Landing). But it was Shah Rukh Khan chasing Shah Rukh Khan through the narrow cobbled alleys and orange-tiled roofs of Dubrovnik in Croatia that worked the charm for us Indians.