DELEGATES FROM ‘VISIT TAMPA BAY’ TRAVEL TO INDIA
AHEAD OF THE IIFA WEEKEND AND AWARDS 2014
TAMPA BAY TO MARK IIFA’S DEBUT VENTURE INTO AMERICA
The International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) announced earlier this year that fans of Indian Cinema could expect the 15th IIFA Celebrations to make it IIFA’s American debut in Tampa Bay, Florida in June 2014.
This week, key delegates from Visit Tampa Bay, including Mr Santiago Corrada – President and Chief Executive Officer of Visit Tampa Bay travelled to Mumbai and New Delhi to forge crucial ties before the big Weekend in June. Mr. Corrada and IIFA officials discussed a number of details ahead of IIFA’s American debut, anticipating all of the special arrangements that will need to be addressed to host India’s most celebrated business leaders and Bollywood’s A-list. Earlier this week, Corrada met with celebrated film stars, Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Sohail Khan and music sensation, Sonu Nigam.
Slated to make its debut in the United States, IIFA will host the 15th year of the Tata Motors IIFA Awards in Tampa Bay, Florida next year. With world-class infrastructure and facilities and having hosted myriad international concerts, events and the Super Bowl four times over, Tampa Bay is the ideal choice for the 15th IIFA Weekend & Awards. The Bay Area comprises Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater, collectively referred to as Tampa Bay.
With over 1.5 million Indians and fans of Indian cinema living in the States today, come June 2014 the shores will see a large number of Indian celebrities, delegates, throngs of international media and fans from around the world.
Since its inception, the Academy’s main objective has been to develop and promote relationships between film industries and organisations across the world. A far cry from the average run-of-the-mill award show, IIFA was initiated as a pioneering effort to take Indian Cinema, something exclusively typical of India and showcase it to the world.
Over the years IIFA has benefitted the host country or destination, and therefore the wider community. The most significant of these benefits range from the direct and immediate economic benefit derived from delegate expenditure, creating direct and indirect employment, income and profit for business, taxes for government, cultural and professional exchanges, capacity building through access to international and national industry leaders, providing professional development and finally strengthening the positioning for the city, industry or country.
Commenting on the occasion, Andre Timmins, Director Wizcraft International said, ‘IIFA has travelled a phenomenal journey over the past 14 years across the world and we are now all set to make our debut in the USA with the 15th Annual Edition of 2014 IIFA Weekend & Awards being hosted in Tampa Bay, Florida. There is unprecedented excitement and buzz within the city of Tampa Bay and state of Florida following this announcement in July and we have been overwhelmed with the warmth & welcome shown by the people of Tampa for IIFA. IIFA is equally excited and looking forward to providing Tampa the platform to become the ‘Gateway to USA’ for India and the global Indian diaspora.’
Speaking on bringing the prestigious Weekend to Tampa Bay in 2014, Santiago Corrada, President and Chief Executive Officer of Visit Tampa Bay said, “My first visit to India truly has been incredible. For the past 6 months I have developed a great deal of respect, admiration and affection for the IIFA team and India as our relationship has grown in the bid for the annual IIFA Weekend & Awards to be hosted in Tampa Bay in 2014. In Tampa, Florida and the United States of America we understand the immense power of IIFA and we are privileged and honored to serve as it’s host city in 2014. From economic development to trade and tourism to the exchange of art and cultural expression, IIFA makes it all a reality through cinema and provides a unique platform to succeed in doing so.”
Over the years IIFA has benefitted the host country or destination, and therefore the wider community. The most significant of these benefits range from the direct and immediate economic benefit derived from delegate expenditure, creating direct and indirect employment, income and profit for business, taxes for government, cultural and professional exchanges, capacity building through access to international and national industry leaders, providing professional development and finally strengthening the positioning for the city, industry or country.
