Hello, this is David Zannoni and I am thrilled do my next Ask My Anything (AMA) this Wednesday February 22.
This AMA will be about screen tourism, also called film tourism.
In basic terms, one can say that screen tourism is the phenomenon that people decide to go on vacation or otherwise travel to a location based on what they have seen in a film or a series.
From New York to Georgia, from the UK to Spain, screen tourism has become part of public policies and content strategies of streamers worldwide.
In my capacity of delegate of Mexico’s National Chamber of the Film Industry (CANACINE) in the State of Quintana Roo – also called the “Mexican Caribbean” – I am involved at the forefront with screen tourism and its benefits for filmmakers, the tourist industry, and governments.
Here are my recent blog posts about screen tourism and the benefits for filmmakers:
https://www.stage32.com/blog/a-filmmakers-guide-to-screen-tourism-part-1-3035
https://www.stage32.com/blog/a-filmmakers-guide-to-screen-tourism-part-2-3050
I hope to see you all on Wednesday, looking forward much forward to a vibrant discussion! about film production and tourism!
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Thanks for having another AMA, David Zannoni. I don't hear a lot about screen tourism. One example I can think of is the house in "Home Alone."
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How/where to sign up for the AMA?
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Post your question on this thread, Rutger Oosterhoff 2.
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Ok clear, thanks!
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You're welcome, Rutger Oosterhoff 2.
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David Zannoni Do you think producers, production companies, studios, networks, and streamers should plan for screen tourism when a project is in development (the script phase) or during pre-production?
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Hi David Zannoni! Thanks for doing this AMA! I feel like post-lockdown this topic has become incredibly prevalent (even if viewers aren't aware) with the kinds of aspirational locations we're seeing even if the subject matter is dark - like the WHITE LOTUS series. If someone is considering making a project with film tourism in mind, how much does the creative team need to consider the subject matter in what they're writing? For example, DELIVERANCE greatly impacted tourism in Georgia... but that's not the most positive story, especially for the people living in that area
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Hi Maurice, there are many examples. The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” for example, which were filmed in New Zealand. The country saw an increase of 50 per cent (!) in visitors after filming.
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Another example is “Game of Thrones”, which filming locations all over Europe. From my article: "Bookings to Iceland increased by 166% and those to Croatia by 68%”. The locations in Spain included the Real Alcázar in Seville and the Zafra Castle in Guadalajara”. “According to the tourism platform Tripadvisor, searches for the Zafra Castle on this portal increased by 488% in one year after its appearance in the series”.
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Taking into account the benefits of screen tourism, definitely starts in development, as that is where the story is developed and specific locations can be included. Although adjustments can also be made during pre-production, if the script allows so, to change or add specific locations - countries, cities, castles, hotels, or other locations - in order to benefit from incentives, locations, lower costs, etc.
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Hi Emily, very valid point you are making! Obviously, under the concept of screen tourism, people want to promote their locations because of their attractiveness. Let's take the example of Mexico: we love selling tropical beaches, luxurious resorts, iddilic historic towns and the beauty and kindness of the people, that sells. People are reluctant to show crime, drug conflicts, and corruption - as that does not inspire people to decide to spend a honeymoon in Mexico. So indeed, in certain cases, in order to make use of the benefits of screen tourism, one may need to be selective with respect to the subject matter.
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That makes sense, David Zannoni. Thanks for the answer.
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Hi David, thanks for doing this AMA! How do you think the creatives themselves who work on projects can best take advantage of screen tourism? Or is it really beyond them once it becomes a larger thing? Are there any licensing or copyright issues that come into play? I think it's great that this trend is being recognized and globalized as it's been a big part of fandom culture for a long time.
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Hi Niki, it depends on the sort of project. There may be locations that offer smaller scale benefits to creatives, like discounts at hotels, (free) access to places. And good that you mention copyright issues: I would always recommend to check copyright and clearance with the experts, which starts at script level and also any locations that come into play as a result of screen tourism, to be assessed to clear the projects of any copyright issues.
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Thanks for the insight David Zannoni!