Cinema and Tourism: When Travel Becomes the Protagonist

The scene is familiar to many: Audrey Hepburn, in the role of Princess Ann, wanders through the streets of Rome with Gregory Peck. The Spanish Steps, the Mouth of Truth, the Colosseum. Roman Holiday (1953) turns the Eternal City into a stage where romantic comedy and the desire for escape intertwine. William Wyler’s film crystallizes an image of Rome that still endures today: elegant, sunlit, full of promise. This is not merely cinematic fiction. After the film’s release, tourism to the Italian capital experienced a significant surge. People wanted to retrace those same routes, sit on that same Vespa, enjoy an ice cream in front of the Trevi Fountain.

This mechanism - the cinema’s ability to shape tourist flows - has consolidated over the decades, generating complex phenomena that deserve careful analysis. The relationship between cinema and tourism is not one-directional: while films feed the collective imagination and encourage viewers to visit specific destinations, tourism itself also influences the production and narrative choices of the film industry.

The Set as a Destination

The term film-induced tourism began appearing in academic literature in the 1990s. In 1998, Riley, Baker, and Van Doren published an article in Annals of Tourism Research documenting how the presence of a film location can increase visitor numbers in a given area. Analyzing several case studies, the researchers demonstrated that this effect is not limited to major Hollywood productions but also extends to independent films and television series.

New Zealand is perhaps the most striking example of this dynamic. Before the release of The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001–2003), the country remained on the margins of major tourist routes. Peter Jackson’s trilogy transformed New Zealand landscapes into mythical places: Hobbiton, Mordor, and Middle-earth took shape among rolling green hills and rugged mountains. The New Zealand government seized the opportunity, investing in promotional campaigns that explicitly associated the territory with the film’s settings. The data are clear: between 2000 and 2006, the number of international tourists increased by 50%, with particularly strong growth from distant markets such as the United States and the United Kingdom (Tourism New Zealand, 2007).

Film locations become permanent attractions. In Matamata, the Hobbiton set was transformed into a theme park that now receives hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. The phenomenon was repeated with The Hobbit (2012–2014) and later with the series The Rings of Power (2022).

Imagined Geographies

Cinema does not merely show existing places: it reinterprets them, loads them with meaning, and transforms them into symbolic spaces. This process has significant consequences for how tourists perceive and experience destinations. British scholar Sue Beeton refers to film-induced expectations: expectations generated by cinematic viewing that do not always correspond to the reality of the place (Beeton, 2005).

Gladiator (2000), directed by Ridley Scott, provides an interesting example. Although largely set in Rome, the film was shot mainly in Morocco and Malta, with the Colosseum recreated using special effects. Nevertheless, many visitors travel to Rome hoping to recognize the film’s atmosphere, often with disappointing results. The gap between cinematic image and lived experience creates a perceptual short circuit that affects visitor satisfaction.

Some destinations exploit this discrepancy creatively. Dubrovnik, Croatia, became King’s Landing for fans of Game of Thrones (2011–2019). The Adriatic city offers guided tours of the series’ filming locations, even though the narrative world is a fantasy setting unrelated to Croatian history. Tourists readily accept this overlap, demonstrating how cinematic imagination can prevail over actual historical geography.

The Industry of Authenticity

The success of film-induced tourism has encouraged many local administrations and tourism boards to actively seek collaborations with film productions. Film commissions were created precisely for this purpose: to attract productions by offering tax incentives, logistical facilitation, and organizational support. Iceland, Scotland, and Northern Ireland have all invested considerable resources to position themselves as attractive locations for the audiovisual industry.

Braveheart (1995) was filmed largely in Scotland and Ireland, contributing to a revival of tourism in the Scottish Highlands. Here again, historical accuracy takes a back seat: many scenes are set in locations that do not correspond to the narrated events. Yet visitors continue to arrive, drawn more by cinematic suggestion than by historiographical precision.

This phenomenon raises ethical and cultural questions. In a study published in Tourism Management in 2003, Kim and Richardson point out that some local communities may feel instrumentalized by this dynamic. Residents see their territory transformed into a tourist product governed by external logics, often losing control over the narrative of their own cultural identity.

The Tourist-Spectator

Who are the people who visit a destination because of a film? Research shows that this is a heterogeneous segment. Macionis identifies several types of film tourists, ranging from serendipitous film tourists - people who casually discover the cinematic connection during their visit - to specific film tourists, who plan their entire trip around the locations of a particular film (Macionis, 2004).

Notting Hill (1999) turned the London neighborhood of the same name into a pilgrimage destination for fans of romantic comedies. The travel bookshop featured in the film, The Travel Book Shop, really exists (although the façade was modified for filming). Even today, tourists look for that blue door, photograph themselves in front of that shop window, and seek to relive the film’s atmosphere. The neighborhood has had to adapt to this flow, with ambivalent consequences for residents.

The search for authenticity - a central concept in tourism studies - takes on paradoxical contours here. Visitors seek an “authentic” experience of places they first encountered through an inherently artificial cinematic representation. Tourism sociologist Dean MacCannell speaks of staged authenticity: an authenticity that is staged to meet visitors’ expectations while being knowingly constructed (MacCannell, 1973).

Television Seriality and New Geographies

The rise of streaming platforms has further amplified this phenomenon. Television series, with their extended duration and ability to create immersive narratives, generate even deeper bonds between viewers and locations. Breaking Bad (2008–2013) transformed Albuquerque, New Mexico, into an unexpected tourist destination. Walter White’s house receives thousands of visitors every year, forcing the real owners to erect a fence to protect their privacy.

Stranger Things (2016–) has had a similar impact on several locations in the United States, particularly in Georgia, where many scenes were filmed. The town of Jackson, Georgia, has seen a significant increase in visitors eager to see the series’ locations. Here too, narrative fiction prevails over reality: the series is set in 1980s Indiana but filmed elsewhere and in the present day.

Sustainability and Overtourism

The success of film-induced tourism brings sustainability challenges. The Beach (2000), starring Leonardo DiCaprio, is set on the Thai island of Phi Phi Leh. After the film’s release, visitor numbers increased exponentially, causing significant environmental damage to Maya Bay’s ecosystem. In 2018, Thai authorities decided to temporarily close the beach to allow coral reefs and vegetation to recover.

The Thai case highlights the need to manage cinema-induced tourist flows more carefully. Some destinations have begun implementing access controls, time restrictions, and mandatory routes to better distribute visitors across the territory.

Provisional Conclusions

The relationship between cinema and tourism continues to evolve, intersecting with emerging technologies, global cultural dynamics, and social and environmental issues. Film productions remain powerful tools for branding and destination marketing. The challenge for local communities lies in finding a balance between economic opportunities, cultural preservation, and sustainability. Cinema continues to draw imaginary maps that millions of people choose to follow. Princess Ann and Joe Bradley still cross the streets of Rome every day, accompanied by tourists seeking to capture a fragment of a fiction that, for many, has become more real than reality itself.

Sources

• Beeton, S. (2005). Film-Induced Tourism. Channel View Publications.
• Kim, H., & Richardson, S. L. (2003). Motion picture impacts on destination images. Annals of Tourism Research, 30(1), 216-237.
• MacCannell, D. (1973). Staged Authenticity: Arrangements of Social Space in Tourist Settings. American Journal of Sociology, 79(3), 589-603.
• Macionis, N. (2004). Understanding the Film-Induced Tourist. In W. Frost, G. Croy, & S. Beeton (Eds.), International Tourism and Media Conference Proceedings. Tourism Research Unit, Monash University.
• Riley, R., Baker, D., & Van Doren, C. S. (1998). Movie Induced Tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 25(4), 919-935.
• Tourism New Zealand (2007). The Lord of the Rings Market Research Summary Report. Wellington: Tourism New Zealand.

Iconic Films by Continent: When Travel Takes Center Stage

Europe

• Caro diario (Italy, 1993, Nanni Moretti) – Urban wandering in Rome and the Aeolian Islands.

• L’Auberge espagnole (France/Spain, 2002, Cédric Klapisch) – Erasmus mobility and multicultural Europe.

• Before Sunrise (USA/Austria, 1995, Richard Linklater) – A night walk through Vienna as a space of encounter.

• Vagabond (France, 1985, Agnès Varda) – Anti-romantic nomadism in rural southern France.

• In a World… with Jacqueline (Ireland/France, 2010) – A minimalist rural road movie.

• The Trip (UK, 2010, Michael Winterbottom) – Gastronomy, travel, and male friendship in Northern England.

Asia

• Tokyo-Ga (Germany/USA, 1985, Wim Wenders) – Cinematic pilgrimage through contemporary Tokyo.

• The Darjeeling Limited (USA, 2007, Wes Anderson) – A spiritual train journey across India.

• Cyclo (Vietnam/France, 1995, Tran Anh Hung) – Urban mobility and social violence in Saigon.

• Lost in Translation (USA/Japan, 2003, Sofia Coppola) – Alienation and intimacy in Tokyo.

• Ilo Ilo (Singapore, 2013, Anthony Chen) – Migration and emotional distance in Southeast Asia.

Africa

• Timbuktu (France/Mauritania, 2014, Abderrahmane Sissako) – A city under occupation, once a crossroads of travel.

• The Sheltering Sky (Italy/UK, 1990, Bernardo Bertolucci) – The desert as existential space.

• The Siege of Jadotville (Ireland, 2016) – Mobility and conflict through the lens of peacekeepers.

• Hyenas (Senegal/France/Switzerland, 1992, Djibril Diop Mambéty) – Return, revenge, and moral travel.

• Queen of Katwe (USA, 2016, Mira Nair) – Social mobility through unexpected journeys.

North America

• Easy Rider (USA, 1969, Dennis Hopper) – The road trip as countercultural statement.

• Into the Wild (USA, 2007, Sean Penn) – Travel as radical rejection of society.

• Paris, Texas (USA, 1984, Wim Wenders) – Emotional journeys across the American Southwest.

• Nomadland (USA, 2020, Chloé Zhao) – Contemporary nomadism and economic precarity.

• The Overnighters (USA, 2014) – Migration and temporary shelter during the oil boom.

South America

• The Motorcycle Diaries (Argentina/Chile, 2004, Walter Salles) – A formative continental journey.

• The Strategy of the Snail (Colombia, 1993) – Urban resistance and collective movement.

• Central Station (Brazil/France, 1998, Walter Salles) – Travel through Brazil’s social landscapes.

• Whisky (Uruguay/Argentina, 2004) – Minimal displacement and emotional stasis.

• Embrace of the Serpent (Colombia, 2015, Ciro Guerra) – Exploration reversed through Indigenous knowledge.

Oceania

• Picnic at Hanging Rock (Australia, 1975, Peter Weir) – Travel as mystery and disappearance.

• The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (Australia, 1994) – Identity through crossing the outback.

• Whale Rider (New Zealand, 2002, Niki Caro) – Territory, tradition, and belonging.

• Tracks (Australia, 2013) – A solitary transcontinental walking journey.

Roland Hochstrasser