The overall outlook for the film tourism market looks bright and positive during the forecast period while creating opportunities for firms, helping local economies, and generating employment opportunities.
The film tourism market is estimated to grow at a steady rate during the forecast period. The growth can be attributed to several reasons, both international and domestic. The rise of pop culture and the immense consumer demand for related activities has been one of the key reasons. The increasing popularity of tours to film locations is due to the exposure such locations get from films, documentaries, TV series, etc. Local economies also benefit immensely from the exposure they get from film-induced tourism.
The Growing Trend of Cultural Tourism Gives Rise to Visitors in the Film Tourism Market
The increasing trend of people wanting to immerse themselves in different cultures has been visible across the globe. This trend has been named cultural integration and has given rise to ‘Culture Tourism,’ which is the parent market for ‘Film Tourism.’ The demands of people to partake in the culture and experience the parts of films or series that they love provide an opportunity to generate revenue by providing such experiences. This is expected to help the film tourism market further.
The regional locations and otherwise non-tourist spots are expected to gain the most out of this. The local economy of Northern Ireland has been estimated to gain in excess of US$ 50 million in 2018 from the tourists visiting the location to see the sets and filming locations of the popular show ‘Game of Thrones.’
Globalization of Content and Ease of Travel Boosting the Market
The presence of content that caters to a wide category of audiences across the globe has been increasing due to the availability of streaming platforms and the internet. This has made the locations and production sets of such content very popular among tourists. The increasing disposable income of the target consumer audience has also helped in the surge of film tourism. The low cost of travel and ease of booking accommodations has also been a key factor in the growth of the market. Consumer demand has gone up due to these factors, making the current period the perfect opportunity to enter the market.
Category-wise Insights
Film Sets are the Most Preferred Location Type in the Film Tourism Sector
Film sets are one of the most preferred locations among tourists within the film tourism sector. This is due to the ease of booking and accommodations one can avail of while visiting these sets. They are regulated and kept in good condition by the respected film studios, also offering the tourists all-inclusive packages and tours of the film sets and related destinations. While famous destinations where films have been shot have also seen a surge in visitors, helping generate revenue for the local economies.
Online Booking Channels Lead the Booking Channel Segmentation
With the wide availability of the internet and the online presence of top firms operating in the market, the booking channels have mainly shifted towards the online mode of bookings. This rise is attributed due to the ever-increasing ease of using the online channel and the wide tour options one gets from these platforms. Hassle-free experience and the comfort of booking at your convenience are also the driving factors in this case. The online bookings channel is expected to keep on capturing the key market share and remain the most preferred.
Packaged Traveler is the Most Prominent Category
With several firms offering different services and all-inclusive packages, it has made the ‘Packaged Traveller’ the keyity category in the tour type segmentation. The firms offer film tourism packages with different activities, locations, and price ranges, helping satisfy the needs of the keyity of the consumer base without the need for them to go through different channels for different services, saving them the hassle and cost. Thus making packaged travelers the norm in the film tourism sector.
Country-wise Insights
A Variety of Landscapes and Government Support Make New Zealand a Popular Destination for Film Tourism
A Hobbit house (Lord of the Rings) in New Zealand.
New Zealand has been a popular destination among production houses for filming due to a couple of key reasons; the primary reason is the wide availability of different landscapes for filming throughout New Zealand, and the other reason has been government incentives and the ease of getting permits.
Leading film productions like ‘LOTR,’ ‘Chronicles of Narnia,’ and the ‘The Last Samurai’ took place in different beautiful landscapes of New Zealand. The sets and locations used in these movies are famous among tourists, attracting thousands of tourists to New Zealand and creating a substantial amount of revenue for the local economy.
Film Festivals are the Leading Driving Factor in the France Film Tourism Market
France has always been viewed as an artistic country. It has been a boiling mixture pot of art, luxury, and philosophy. To celebrate this culture and tradition, France has many film festivals held annually. ‘Cannes Film Festival,’ which is among the three prominent film festivals in the world, is held every year in May in Cannes City, bringing in a lot of film enthusiasts, critics, and movie stars to the city. This, along with different film productions happening in France throughout the year, has also kept the film tourism sector in France growing and refreshed.
The Presence of Massive Production Sets and Film Studios is a Prominent Feature in the United States Market
The United States is home to the oldest and a huge film industry by revenue, i.e., Hollywood, making it a prime spot for Film Tourism. The city of Los Angeles, California, is home to the biggest film studios in the world, like ‘Warner Bros Studio,’ ‘Universal Studio,’ ’20th Century Fox Studio’, and ‘Paramount Studios’ making it the hotspot for production sets and key filming activities. The ‘Universal Studio Theme Park’ is one of the key attractions in the city, bringing in tourists from all over the globe. Other popular destinations like New York, Atlanta, San Francisco, and Chicago also have visitors who want to experience the filming locations of their favorite films in real life.
Competitive Landscape
The key players are maintaining a competitive edge in the market by offering all-inclusive packages and saving tourists from the hassle of going through different channels for their tours. Government initiatives and investments are boosting the market and have also helped the firms improve their service offerings.
Recent Developments Observed by FMI
The Rajasthan government has released the Rajasthan Film Tourism Promotion Policy-2022 to promote Rajasthan as a key film destination in India and to increase tourism in the state. The state government developed one of its most notable tourist policies to capitalize on and maximize the state’s rich tradition and culture.
The fifth Global Film Tourism Conclave (GFTC) was officially launched in July 2022 at the Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach in Mumbai by Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Union Minister for Minority Affairs. The fifth GFTC was put on by the Ph.D. Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), in association with the Ministries of Tourism and Information & Broadcasting and has as its theme ‘Unleashing the Power of Cinematic Tourism.’
The construction process of the Uttar Pradesh (UP) Government-backed UP Film City project began in 2022 in Sector-21 of the Yamuna Expressway Development Authority (YEIDA) area of Gautam Buddha Nagar district. This is expected to generate employment in the area, promote tourism, and help the firms in generating more revenue.
These insights are based on a report on film tourism market by Future Market Insights.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
