Film tourism
Film tourism, also known as movie-induced tourism, is a phenomenon where travelers visit locations made famous by films or television shows. This form of tourism has grown in popularity alongside the expansion of the entertainment industry and international travel. Tourists are often drawn to iconic sites where their favorite films were shot, capturing memories through photos at these locations. The film industry frequently collaborates with tourism boards to enhance this experience, creating opportunities for additional profit through the sale of maps, guides, and themed tours.
There is a distinction between film-location tourism, where visitors go to actual movie sets, and film tourism, where they explore real-life locations depicted in the stories. Historical sites, like the Louvre or Alnwick Castle, have seen renewed interest due to their appearances in popular films. Countries like New Zealand and the United Kingdom have capitalized on this trend, promoting their landscapes as backdrops in major film franchises. Popular TV series, such as Game of Thrones, have further fueled interest in travel to specific locales. Additionally, the success of films can lead to significant boosts in local tourism, as seen in regions featured in both light-hearted and darker narratives.
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Film tourism
Film tourism, also called movie-induced tourism and film-induced tourism, is a growing phenomenon inspired by the growth of the entertainment industry and an increase in international travel. It is a type of travel in which visitors seek attractions based on a film or television show. Tourists enjoy snapping photos of themselves with friends and family at locations featured in their favorite movies. The film industry often partners with the tourism industry to increase film tourism and increase profits for both industries. Since travel may occur after a film is released, the entertainment industry has a chance to earn additional profits by selling items such as maps and guides. Industry experts note that there is a difference between film-location tourism and film tourism. With film-location tourism, visitors travel to an actual movie set, which may be designed to look like a certain place. Film tourism refers to an actual location where a story is set.
Background
The emergence of film tourism outside the film studio occurred following the 1949 release of the drama The Third Man. Tourists flocked to Vienna, Austria, to retrace the steps of stars Joseph Cotten and Orson Welles. When the movie version of The Sound of Music was in production in 1964, a tour company (Kleinbusse Mirabellplatz) formed in anticipation of travelers visiting Salzburg, Austria, following the musical's 1965 release. The first wave of film tourists arrived in Salzburg in 1966. These sight-seers embarked on tours to film-specific sites.
The birth of the blockbuster in the 1970s and 1980s created a push in film marketing, with advertising budgets increasing to include a global audience. By the early 1990s, films were recognized for generating interest in travel. Promotional budgets averaged about $14.4 million in 1994 and rose to $27.3 million in 2001. Destination placement, a type of product placement in which a location is highlighted within a fictional setting, became a goal for the tourism industry, which hoped audiences would connect with a location portrayed on screen.
In the 2000s, literary franchises The Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter series sparked an uptick in film tourism in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, respectively. Joint campaigns between tourism and film industries increased. Post-production marketing such as movie-map installments and location guidebooks provided insight for travelers, and extra features included in DVD releases touted sites used in filming.
Popular television shows have also garnered interest in film tourism. Award winning TV series Game of Thrones inspired individuals to travel to Ireland and Croatia to see the location of many famous scenes from the show. In fact, GoT Legacy Tours in Ireland is a joint venture between HBO and Linen Mill Studios that allows tourists to visit filming locations and partake in other activities related to the show. Similarly, the popular Showtime show Outlander, based on the bestselling book series, brings many tourists to Scotland.
Topic Today
While historical sites have attracted travelers for centuries, their appearances in film and on television have spawned renewed interest. For example, France is a top tourist destination because of its museums and landmarks, but its tourism industry and Film France (the French film commission) have worked together to prioritize films shown internationally to promote tourism to the country.
Locations such as the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and the Palace of Versailles have been featured in films. The Louvre played an integral role in The Da Vinci Code movies, which began in 2005, and Versailles was the backdrop of the 2006 film Marie Antoinette. The DVD release featured a tour of the palace in the style of MTV Cribs.
Movie fans have traveled to Britain to see Alnwick Castle, which was featured in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002). Visits to the castle increased by 230 percent after the release of the movies, according to VisitBritain, the country's tourism organization.
In the United States, film productions have also lured tourists to various states. For example, North Carolina is a growing destination for fans of The Hunger Games, Dirty Dancing, and Max. In Georgia, a tax credit of up to 30 percent has brought scores of film and television productions to the state, which has increased the growth of movie-related tours. Fans travel to Georgia to visit locations featured in the television series The Walking Dead.
New Zealand tourism is closely linked to the popularity of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film series. In fact, the federal government invested $150 million into The Lord of the Rings trilogy, which went on to become a massive global blockbuster. The Hobbiton Movie Set, which was used in both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, has become a popular tourist attraction. To foster its growing film production and tourism industries, the New Zealand Screen Production Grant was created in 2014 for international productions starting at a 20 percent grant with an additional 5 percent available if the filming can build more economic opportunities for New Zealand, including tourism. The Disney production of 2016's Pete's Dragon, also filmed in New Zealand, benefited from the grant, and cast endorsements and corporate partnerships were used to inspire travel to the country.
Tunisia and Jordan have been featured as stand-ins for faraway planets in science fiction and fantasy films such as the Star Wars film series and The Martian (2015). Jordan's Royal Film Commission has worked with the Jordan Tourism Board to increase the marketing of Wadi Rum, a desert location featured in The Martian and the country's Academy Award-nominated film Theeb (2015).
Experts note that dark, violent films and television shows also attract tourists to an area. For example, many people have toured areas featured on the Sopranos television series. The city of Bruges in Belgium enjoyed a spike in tourism after the release of the film In Bruges (2008) featuring Colin Farrell. The movie is about a hired killer who makes his way to Bruges.
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