Exotic travels spurred by blockbusters

The Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) foresees a rise in the number of bookings to lesser-known places as a slew of movies set in obscure locales will release next year.

David Marshall, a spokesperson for Abta, said that film has always served as a good push for tourism.

"People identify very closely with the locations of their favourite films," Marshall said. "Lavish and beautiful settings are among the most significant drivers of growth in tourism, with more people than ever before choosing to holiday somewhere simply because they've seen it at the cinema. Films are a terrific form of advertisement for regions and places that don't otherwise get much publicity."

The movie Australia takes place in Darwin, a little-known area of the Northern Territory in Australia. The Cup is another film taking place in Australia, starring Pierce Brosnan. These films are likely to push Australia's existing popularity to new levels.

"Australia has always been a very popular tourist destination for British families," said Marshall. "What may be slightly different about next year is that the destinations are quirkier, not just the obvious Sydney, Brisbane, or Perth. That could be because people have been inspired by something they've seen at the cinema."

Some even less typical destinations include Botswana, the backdrop of No1 Ladies' Detective Agency. The adaptation of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera is expected to create a new appeal for Cartagena, Colombia.

Marshall cited past examples of films essentially advertising for travel destinations: "Over the past decade or so, one or two films have been brilliant advertisements for the country in which they were shot. The Lord of the Rings trilogy did an enormous amount for New Zealand's tourist industry, and Captain Corelli's Mandolin did more for [the Greek island] Cephalonia than anyone might have imagined."

 

 


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Zoe Westof Editorial


28/12/2007



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