Film Induced Tourism (FIT) - Part 1

Sue Beaton wrote the book from which many of these extracts are taken, references are to her text, and the book is available from the better booksellers.

The popular media, cinema and tv, of the day influences the appeal of travel destinations and holiday makers. In the past media such as literature, music and poetry have been a major element, and prior to the development of film and television, a mass audience really had access only to written works. By the mid-20th century, film, became the main mass media outlet and has been particularly effective in affecting tourism vial movie locations. (MacCannell, 1976, ch1/pg4). Film locations and tv productions such as Last of the Summer Wine, the Professionals and Open All Hours, and cinema movie classics such as Shane, Laramie, Brief Encounter and Alfie have all influenced thousands of film and movie buffs to search for the real streets used in these wonderful outdoor productions.

Various tourism and film authorities have developed Movie Maps,. (ch1, pg7), showing movie and location sites used by the director, producer and location manager for filming of outdoor scenes. Dolce Vita, Paisa’, La Strada and Roman Holiday made extensive use of outdoor scenes for their movie productions..

The Hawaiian Tourism Authority, in its first-ever Strategic Tourism Plan, has identified encouraging filming in the state as one of its key tourism strategies for film site and location visits. (Hawaiian Tourism Authority 1999, ch1/pg8). Film sets have included Hawaii Five 0 and dozens of more modern films. All filmed on location in the Hawaiian Islands, Mutiny on the Bounty was an early film that too advantage of the beautiful scenery.

TV viewing is probably the greatest single domestic pastime. (Schofield 1996, ch1/pg8) and movie and tv filming locations add to the realism of the episodes, bring tourists to the town, increase the turnover of local shops and businesses and generally benefit the community. 50 Degrees North, Casualty and Holby City are good examples of the location of filming scenes bringing much needed employment and revenue to less obvious towns and villages.

Film and television are pervasive educators and persuaders, especially when they are entertaining. The theory is that many tourists tend to experience the world through a series of framed images, the screen is yet another frame through which tourists vicariously experience a destination or location. Through its image-creating potential, film can also provide strong motivation to actually visit the places. (Schofield 1996, ch1/pg9). Film-induced tourism and filming sites and locations for Braveheart, Clockwork Orange, Harry Potter and Middle Earth (New Zealand) have proved this time and time again and now tourist boards and tourist offices are promoting film location holidays, film destination holidays, movie walks and movie tours.

And reelstreets.com now lists more than 350 films which used outside locations, a wonderland of nostalgia, coupled with well-known actors, and now all on-line at the click of a mouse. Reelstreets.com uses snips from the original film and attempts to find the exact location of the scene which is then re-photographed in order to provide a then and now comparison.

Margaret Richardson - August 2009