The Popular Media of the Day Influences the Appeal of Travel Destinations

7/25/2019 The Popular Media of the Day Influences the Appeal of Travel Destinations

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The popular media of the day influences the appeal of travel destinations. In the past, media

such as religion, literature, music and poetry were a major element determining travel,

pilgrimage and holiday venues. Prior to the development of film and television, a mass

audience really had access only to written works.

In the mid-20th century, film ecame the main mass media outlet and has een particularly

effective in affecting tourism. !"ac#annell, $%&', ch$, pg() The latter part of the century

saw the rise of television, which has had an even greater impact on pleasure travel and film

induced tourism, which is now often heavily influenced y directional or destination

marketing.

*arious tourism and film authorities have developed movie maps in order to e+ploit more

fully the associations that their region has with a popular film, movie or television series.

!ch$, pg&) Therey creating the holidays known as a location vacations.

The awaiian Tourism uthority, in its first-ever trategic Tourism Plan, has identified the

role of encouraging filming in the state as one of its key tourism strategies. !awaiian

Tourism uthority $%%%, ch$/pg)

T* viewing is proaly the greatest single domestic pastime. !chofield $%%', ch$/pg)

1ilm and television are pervasive educators and persuaders, even when they are entertaining.

The theory is that many tourists tend to e+perience the world through a series of framed

images, the screen is yet another frame through which tourists vicariously e+perience a

destination. Through its image-creating potential, film can also provide strong motivation to

actually visit the places seen in the production. !chofield $%%', ch$/pg%)

"ajor one-time or recurring events of limited duration developed to primarily enhance the

awareness, appeal and profitaility of a destination in the short and/ or long term. These are

sometimes called hallmark events. These events rely for their success on uniueness, status, or

timely significance to create interest and attract attention. !3.4. 5rent 4itchie $%%2, ch$/pg%)

1ilm/T* 6festivals6 linked to a particular 7one or area may well attract tourists as well as therepresentatives and enthusiasts of the movie trade in general.

1ilm is rarely consumed at the original location, ut visitors often feel the need to visit the

destination used. !4iley 8 *an 9oren $%%2, ch$/pg %)

#haracteristics of film tourism


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1ilm tourism is travel motivator, a film site is an attraction in its own right with a strong

motivation for visitation.

1ilm tourism holidays are eing increasingly promoted, and visiting film locations is a key

element in many activity holidays. 1ilm tourism pilgrimage, visiting sites of film locations to

pay homage to the film stars and sometimes even possily re-enacting elements of the original

work. !ch$/ tale $.$/ pg$0). *ery few, if any, towns, cities or countries take advantage of

1IT:s power y offering films ased on local, regional or national locations, in their festival

offerings.

;ruman:s #hinese Theater attracts visitors from all over the world y a series of concrete

handprints of the famous set in the pavement/sidewalk.

#ousins and ndereck see the recognition of a movie as a hallmark event to e central to

ma+imising its tourism enefits. They took two movie e+amples, one that was not seen as a

hallmark event y the associated tourism agencies !5ull 9rummond) and another that was

!the


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The study of film-induced tourism is comple+, incorporating aspects of disciplines such as

sociology and psychology, as well as industry-ased sectors, from film making through to

destination marketing, community development and strategic planning. #onseuently, this is

an untapped and little understood field of tourism research. !5 ch$/pg$&) 5ut it worksF

The small town of 5rescello, in Italy, the home of the the 9on #amillo series of films enefits

from some =0,000 tourists a year, supports two e+cellent film museums, three good, modern,

hotels and a do7en ars, cafGs, restaurants and ice-cream shops, and all on the strength of five

films made fifty years ago.

The very nature of tourism lends itself to participant oservation research methodologies, and

there are times when ojective assessment or study of film sites ecame impossile, such as

the visit to 9oune #astle in cotland, the site for "onty Python and the oly ;rail, where

"onty Python was at its peak in the mid-&0:s, one either 6got it6 and was an osessive fan, ordidn:t. The i7arre humour left no middle ground, I was one of those who 6got it6 spending

too many hours at university listening to "onty Python tapes while reading Phantom comics.

o, a visit to the site of the movie so many years later was a pilgrimage, and I was immersed

in the e+perience. This does not make the study of 9oune #astle any less relevant than if

another research methodology had een used. !5 ch$/pg$)

4eeltreets.com is now starting to create a series of 1IT links, offering free pages on their

wesite to location aware tourist authorities etc., which can e themed to take advantage of

1IT pounds/euro/dollarsH

The effect of film on tourist ehaviour is acknowledged, is known to work ut as yet is little

understood or fully e+ploited. !ch2/pg20)

1uture pilgrimages to film sites are an important aspect which often affects the decisions of

local authorities with regard to location filming. ;rants or susidies are often used as

inducements to the film-maker, ut only rarely is a follow-up made y the local tourist

authority or chamer of commerce, to uild on the possiilities created y the movie.

9estination marketing is an increasingly powerful weapon in the tourist office:s armoury, ut

as yet imperfectly understood.

3ames erriot !author of ll #reatures ;reat and mall), the 5ritish Tourist uthority, and

6Take the igh 4oad6, plus the cottish ssociation of Tourism fficers, suggest that the

effect of film-induced tourism may e sufficient to warrant tourist destinations actively

encouraging film producers as a formal policy. !Tooke 8 5aker $%%', ch2/pg20)

In an Anglish Tourism #ouncil pulication on developing tourism, the ead of 5orough


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*isitcotland and cottish creen have developed a rochure , "ansion 2$m in

local economic enefits and $= full-time jos, apart from the add-ons of continued and

increased tourism) !Aconomist, $%%, ch2/pg2$

The locations need not e eautiful nor the storylines positive in order to attract visitors.4ayurn #ounty in #alifornia, where 9eliverance was filmed is one e+ample. It has een

estimated that the area sees an additional 20,000 tourists per annum, with a gross revenue

etween J>2 and J>= million, as a direct result of the film eing made there. !4iley$%%,

ch2/pg2(

The film 6Titanic6, has enefited the urgeoning cruise industry y reference to a movie aout

the sinking of the most famous passenger ship of all time. !inside Tucson 5usiness $%%,

ch2/pg2E)

The relationship of the setting with the storyline is crucial to the magnitude of its touristic

attraction. The asic issue is whether the setting must e in the foreground of the story to truly

leave an impression on the viewer:s mind. !#ohen $%', ch2/pg2E)

#ulture is produced through shared meanings that can e represented y a variety of modern

media, including film. uch representations and meanings can e made to perform specific

destination marketing roles y creating a desire in the viewer to e+perience the place in a less

vicarious form, y visiting the site of the film. !all $%%&, ch2/pg2E)

1ilm as a 9estination "arketing Tool


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9estination "arketing rganisations !9":s)

The ound of "usic, al7urg, ustria, !Im et al.$%%%) found that over half of the

respondents !who were on a 6ound of "usic Tour6) cited the movie as creating the desire to

visit the film locations and therefore the city. !ch2/pg2&)

"any destinations are now working to ecome 6film friendly6 and have taken a proactive

stance towards encouraging filming, y developing relationships with the major film studios,

international and local P4 companies and advertising agencies. ften, film is considered :free

footage:, in similar terms to :free ink:, or editorial coverage, and that such free footage has a

higher crediility than a tourism ody promotion. !4oger ;rant 200$, ch2/pg2)

5ecause of their association with fame, uildings and streets that were formerly considered

commonplace and ordinary suddenly acuire interest, status and amience. Travel and Tourism dministration:s advisory oard !Beale $$%().

The direct economic enefits of 6#heers6 that ?ershaw has realised include around E00,000

visitors to his pu per annum, an annual food and everage turnover of >J'm and 6#heers6

merchandi7ing sales of around >J&m. !5, ch2/pg2%)

T" the major 5rasilian airline now organises =-hour tours of the 6e+ and the #ity6 T*

series sites in Bew Kork. They are the first major company that appear o have understood the

financial enefits of 1IT

The #ult of #elerity

1ascination with the famous and infamous in not new - Tourism itself has een ased around

visiting famous !or sacred) sites since it first appeared in the form of the pilgrimages of the$$th century and the ;rand Tours of the $th century. !


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The worship of movie stars fills a psychological, or even spiritual, need in a century where

religion is declining. !#ollins $%&, ch2/pg=2)

1amous names do not merely add status to all they touch, argues Powers - they can also add

:content: to light media stories. #elerity is the enemy of content. !Powers 200$, ch2/pg==)

Bumerous researchers consider tourism to have elements of a religious pilgrimage. !5,

ch2/pg=()

1ilm-induced tourism has strong overtones of pilgrimage, with the tourist travelling to sites

considered sacred through their connection with fame and the notions of fantasy. 1ilm tourists

collect memorailia of places, actors and characters, taking them home, along with stories of

fame, that raise the traveller up in the view of their peers. Tourists, like pilgrims, often mi+ a

serious uest with recreation, play and fun. !#ohen 200, ch2/pg=E)

The significant relationships that have een introduced, such as that etween film offices and

production companies and tourism offices and usinesses, is central to any consideration of

film-induced tourism. !5 ch2/pg=%)

1ilm Image and 9estination "arketing

The part that literary tourism played in literature has een developed to encompass film.

#onceptual movie maps and places have ecome products that must e strategically designedand marketed, and those that fail face the risk of economic decline. !?otler $%%=, ch=/pg(=)

9estination marketing has een designed to attract tourism e+penditure, to generate tourism

employment, to provide positive images for potential investors and to attract professional

workers to the area used in the film. !all $%%E, ch=/pg(()

The image of a destination has een shown to e a significant tourist motivator, playing an

important role in travel decision-making. It is also well documented and accepted that

increased tourism affects a wide range of usinesses, from transport and accommodation to

suppliers of products and services, as well as the tourism usinesses themselves. !5

ch=/pg(E)

"ost consumers decided on a destination after considering three to five options,

demonstrating the importance of a powerful destination image and marketing process.

!@eaver 8 ppermann 2000, ch=/pg(&)

It is proaly the image more than the factual information that influences a tourist:s decision

on where to travel. !


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The perception of potential visitors, has a high emotional value and is of great value to 1IT,

which tends to rely on, and emphasise, an emotional response on visitors. !Tapachi 8

@arys7ak 2000, ch=/pgE$)

1ilm tourists visit the sites portrayed, and the influence of the movie has ecome so pervasive

that it outstrips that of literature. 1ilm is to literary tourism what the 5oeing &(& was to

mainstream tourism - a major ooster for mass tourism. !5usy 8 ?lug 200$, ch=/pgE=)

The popularity and use of film and television have grown rapidly as the influence of movies,

videos, 9*9:s and television is ecoming even more important and pervasive. !5, ch=/pgE=

nce again, visual media are considered to e the most powerful image-creators, and include

the motivations of pilgrimages, nostalgia and programmes. !4iley 8 *an 9oren $%%2,

ch=/pgEE)

The Bew Cealand government appointed a so-called :"inister of the 4ings: to leverage the

international profile of the country through the pulicity rought y The


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"ovie "aps and ;uideooks as ignificant 9estination "arketing Tools

"ovie "ap of ustralia in $%%'. !9enise #orrigan, ch=/pg'2)

In the week after the release in 200$ of the first


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tourism sites are not on any current tourist trails, and it is often the independent traveller, or

the enthusiastic promoters of specialised film location we-sites, who seeks them out. !5

ch(/pg%$)

1IT attracts tourism e+penditure, it therefore generates tourism-related employment, it therey

provides positive images for potential investors and also attracts professional workers to the

area. !all $%%E, ch=/pg(()

Affects on Tourism

1ilm induced visitors tend to come from further afield than the regular tourists, indicating a

roadening of the visitor market due to a television series or a popular film. !5 chE/pg%)

1rom *illage y the ea to Pearl 5ay

In $%% there were vacant shops and others in the process of closing down, ut as of 3anuary

2000 all the shops were occupied with the main shopping precinct oasting a predominance of

tourist services. 4eal Astate values have increased dramatically. n a winter:s day, the town

was alive with people partaking of the cafG culture. Put on the map, more people are stopping

in the town rather than just passing through !or ypassing it). !5 chE/pg %)

The trategic 5usiness Plan of $%%=, was a 4egional Tourism 9evelopment Plan for theregional tourism odies, and the target was high-yield market segments. !Tourism *ictoria

$%%=, chE/pg%%) Tourism odies remain focused on the high-yield sectors of the tourism

industry. !5 chE/pg$0$) nd 1IT is a significant segment of this market.

The refreshing approach taken y the regional tourist oard in realising that the tourism

appeal of #alendar ;irls will help tourism. This film is going to have a dramatic impact on

tourism in Korkshire. !KT5 200=, chE/pg$0()

ll those interviewed elieved that it, the T* series, !Pearl 5ay), had an effect on the town

with an increase in the numer, and uality, of shops and an increase in year-round visitation.

!5 chE/pg$0%)

"any visitors are interested in taking tours in a less traditional way in order to see the town:s

locations and this appeals to independent travellers who are not interested in a L:normal: tour

with ored tour guides narrating the same facts and figures. !5lau, chE/pg$$0)

They, the visitor, can now return home, Lknowing how its done and rag aout possessing an

insiders knowledge:. !Touchin 200=, chE/pg$$2)

Bew Cealand claims to have e+perienced an increase in international tourism as a direct result


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of the movies. !5 chE/pg$$2)

ome &2M of current international visitors had seen at least one of the first two


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The concept of on-location film-induced tourism may have een recognised from the early

days of movies with visits to sites such as "onument *alley !the striking ackdrop in

tagecoach in $%=E, staring 3ohn @ayne) !5 ch/pg$E)

The demonstrated interest in, and power of, film-induced tourism !5 ch%/pg2$2)

study of general managers from over $00 theme parks, found that they saw movies and T*

shows as the third-highest ranking theme for future theme parks and attractions, out of a list of

$' significant themes. !"ilman 200$, ch%/pg22()

1ilm studio theme parks are growing in their numers, si7e and comple+ity. !5 ch%/pg22E)

1uture 9irections

The


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1or e+ample, the Panorama of ;orge 4ailway, filmed $%0=, did much to introduce the images

of the Biagara region to a new audience, many of whom would desire to visit and travel that

same railway. !*erhoeff 8 @arth 2002 ch$0/pg2=%)

5ollywood Indian sagas sell over 00 million cinema tickets annually and most of the

locations used y 5ollywood are iconic tourism sites. !#BB 200$ ch$0/pg2($) The

increasingly wealthy Indian middle classes will certainly e visiting film locations.

?. wit7erland Tourism also launched a 5ollywood ;uide,

wit7erland for the "ovie tars. The 5ollywood film and tourism phenomenon indicates,

with some E million middle-class Indians, that the market potential is enormous. !5

ch$0/pg2(2)

69eliverance, that:s why we:re here6 said one of the actors, and = years have passed since the$%&2 release of this cademy-ward nominated film, and = years of whitewater tour groups

on the 4iver #hattooga have profited off the ack of the film. tunt doule Payson ?ennedy:s

Bantahala utdoor #enter which has rafting e+peditions on oth the #hattooga and Bantahala

rivers, reports income of J$E million per year, with '00 part time employees, and 200,000

annual visitors.

@hether they e real-life documentaries or the fantasies of fictional tales, films have always

een a way for audiences to encounter other places. The future of film as a major form of

entertainment, and increasing levels of tourism have come together to form a new tourismsegment, that of film induced tourism. !5 ch$0/pg2(()

If can e argued that changes precipitated y political events are occurring far more rapidly

than changes in fashion and taste. #onseuently, filmic images, and emotions, may well

remain relevant for a far longer time than any other form. !5 ch$0/pg2(E)

"ovies are a non-sales form of communication that allows discovery of the location, as

opposed to the hard

sell of advertising. !4iley and *an 9oren p. %22)

Take full advantage of the opportunities offered on this site to promote your films, your

enthusiasms and your area.

3ohn Tunstill

#opyright 3ohn Tunstill 2E $$ 20$0


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The Popular Media of the Day Influences the Appeal of Travel Destinations

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