Travel Editor Mary O’Leary discusses cinema tourism.
Have you ever seen a film set in New York City or a side-by-side comparison of movies vs. ‘real world’ places? Chances are, no matter the destination, you’ve at least seen ads for a TV show or animated film set in your tourist destination. But why has this type of tourist advertisement grown in popularity? And how has it changed the future of traveling?
Cinema tourism, or ‘film tourism’, first grew in mainstream popularity after the release of HBO’s White Lotus when tourists flocked to the beaches of Hawai’i following the show’s first season. The term ‘White Lotus Effect’ has even been used to describe this phenomenon. Ironically, the contents of a popular show also don’t seem to decrease the likelihood of this phenomenon, as White Lotus is notorious for its criticism of the tourism industry in Hawai’i.
Though shown in its rise in popularity recently, the niche of cinema tourism has existed in some form or capacity throughout its existence. Whether it be random iconic scenes in Old Hollywood films or the backbone of Japanese Anime tourism, it's obvious how much of an effect films and television have had on travelers.
Ireland too, has seen a huge rise in this type of travel tourism, with many major cities having shown to draw in visitors. Up north in Belfast there’s the Game of Thrones tours, and Derry of course is an essential visit for fans of the sensation that is Derry Girls. Here in Dublin the recent show House of Guinness has not only gotten people flocking to the city but also interested in one of its major drinks, Guinness.
Even Trinity College Dublin has seen the effects of Cinema Travel with the adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Normal People. Following its release in 2020, the university received a record number of 42,972 applications, raising its total by 11%. Aside from the number of students within the college, the show's success has also done numbers in attracting tourists to the prestigious university campus.
Though to a smaller degree than countries such as South Korea, the US, and Japan- Ireland is certainly taking advantage of the entertainment industry as a means to spread its culture and history abroad. As such, it’s no wonder that tourists are now adding film and tv show tours to their itineraries.
Ireland has also grown in entertainment industry influence as well, with new popular shows like Wednesday being filmed just down in Wicklow. Aside from that, it has been the filming destination of most medieval and fantasy shows and movies. With the rise in modern day dramas however, this type of tourism is now unique in its proximity to Irish culture and politics.
As the popularity and number of these shows and movies grow, we should expect an influx of visitors to lesser-known cities and areas represented in this media. Derry Girls, for instance, had this effect on Derry whilst also informing much of the international world on this history of conflict within the city. Where tourism booms used to ebb and flow with the coming and going of St. Paddy’s Day and international sports games, these internationally told stories are helping to create a consistent industry of tourism through the year and around the country.
This influx is, however, not wholly positive. In Thailand for instance, 2000’s The Beach starring Leonardo DiCaprio shot the location of Maya Beach into the stratosphere of global popularity. This popularity also came with heaps of tourists who subsequently destroyed and polluted the beach’s natural habitat and coral reefs. As such, Thai officials were forced to close the beach for three years from tourists.
Cinema Tourism, like many modern trends, can influence a place and its local population within weeks. As this market continues to grow, it will be important for these local areas to anticipate this influx of visitors and to properly regulate how such travelers affect the local ecosystems they are interacting with.
Like with all types of traveling, it’s important to keep the lives of locals and the environment in mind. Furthermore, the lives of the people who live in these areas do not live carbon copy versions of the stories you watch on tv. With that, have fun exploring the worlds of your favorite shows and films!