This document discusses film tourism and its impacts using case studies from Norway. It begins by defining film tourism and film location tourism. It then examines the impacts of The Lord of the Rings films on increasing tourism in New Zealand. Subsequent case studies analyze increased visitor numbers to film-related sites in Scotland, Sweden, and New Mexico. The document also covers types of film location tourists, destination marketing through film, and case studies on The Golden Compass, Liebe am Fjord films in Norway, and The Empire Strikes Back filming in Norway. It concludes by outlining positive effects of film tourism.

1. Film Tourism –
Case Study: Norway
Stefan Roesch
www.film-tourism.com

2. Introduction to Film Tourism

3. Defining Film Tourism
Travel to a destination that has been portrayed in a film production
Example:
The movie Room with a View (1985) is partly set in Florence, Italy.
Someone who is inspired by the film and travels to Florence becomes a
film tourist.
“Film productions” include:
feature film productions
fictional TV productions
documentaries
tourism image films
home videos

4. Defining Film Location Tourism
Travels to places/sites used for filming or associated with
filming.
Example:
Lord of the Rings film location tourists recreating a scene at the
original film location.

5. Film Tourism Effects

6. LOTR Impact on New Zealand’s
Destination Image and Travel Stimulation
Current Potential
Visitors Visitors
Aware of LOTR films/ aware of publicity 93% 86%
Aware filmed in NZ 86% 65%
Seen at least one LOTR film 72% 75%
More motivated to visit NZ - 61%
More likely to visit NZ - 57%
Better understanding of what you can do in NZ - 29%
LOTR a reason for coming to NZ (main reason or one reason) 8% -
Base: Total Respondents 775 907
Source: Tourism New Zealand 2003

7. Visitor Increase:
Rosslyn Chapel, Scotland
2003 38.000
2004 68.000
Screening of the Da Vinci Code 2005 120.000
2006 176.000
2007 158.000
2008 128.000
Source: courtesy of Nick Finnigan, VisitScotland (2009)

8. Visitor Increase:
Wallace Monument, Scotland
1994 50.173
Screening of Braveheart 1995 128.638
2006 119.000
2007 125.000
2008 130.000
Source: courtesy of Nick Finnigan, VisitScotland (2009)

9. Visitor Increase:
Ystad, Sweden
day trippers overnight stayers
TV release of the Wallander series 2003 1.123.106 781.653
2004 1.105.708 747.941
2005 1.236.409 678.477
2006 1.249.925 722.031
2007 1.454.282 658.368
+331.176 -123.285
Source: courtesy of Itta Johnson, Ystads kommun (2009)

10. Film-related tourism accounted for an estimated 5.5% of total New
Mexico tourism expenditures in 2008.
Source: Ernst & Young (2009) Economic and Fiscal Impacts of the New Mexico Film Production Tax Credit.

11. Visitor Increase through Filmic Impulses: Scenarios
2,8
2,6
2,4
2,2
2
1,8
factor
1,6
1,4
1,2
1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
year

12. Types of Film Location Tourists
specific general
serendipitous

13. Destination Marketing through Film

14. 40%
of international respondents say they
would be ‘very likely’ to visit locations
associated with films/tv if they were to
visit Britain.

15. Product Placement = Hybrid Message
Advertising Public Relations
Pro: Pro:
Content controlled by Sponsor not identifiable,
sponsor source seems genuine
Con: Con:
Sponsor identifiable, source Content and format not
regarded with suspicion controlled by sponsor
Product Placement
= Hybrid Message
Pro:
Sponsor not identifiable,
source seems genuine
Con:
Content controlled by
sponsor
Source: after Balasubramanian S. K. (1994), Beyond Advertising and Publicity: Hybrid Messages and Public Policy
Issues. Journal of Advertising, Vol. XXIII, No. 4:30.

16. Location Placement in Film
Marketeer-uncontrolled Marketeer-controlled

17. Evaluating the Advertising Equivalent Value:
Live the Bond Lifestyle-Campaign by VisitBritain
relation: ca. 20 : 1
Source: courtesy of VisitBritain (2009)

18. The Different Image Change Agents
Source: Gartner (1993)

19. The Pros of Destination Placement in Film
free advertising
sponsor not identifiable
high market penetration
high credibility
Problem: (almost) no control over the content

20. Case Study 1: The Golden Compass

21. The Locations
Bryggen wharf area Svalbard

22. The Fictional Places
Svalbard
A northern archipelago in Lyra‘s World, where cliff-ghasts live, as well as possibly witch clans, and Lord Asriel is exiled to
Svalbard, where he lives with his servant Thorold. Svalbard is, most notably, home to the panserbiørne who have their
fortress there. In our world, as in Lyra's, Svalbard is a cluster of Norwegian isles.
Svalbard – Land of the
Panserbiørne
Trollesund
The town in Norroway where the Gyptians begin their land journey to Bolvangar, where Lyra meets Lee Scoresby and where
the Witch Consul to Norroway lives. Trollesund lies in the north of Norroway. It is possible that Trollesund is the city
Tromsø in our world. They are both in the same general location, close to Svalbard and an important harbour in the north of
Norway/Norroway.
Bergen – Experience
the real Trollesund

23. Case Study 2: Ein Mann, ein Fjord!

24. The Locations
Oslo Bergen train Bergen
Ålesund Geirangerfjord Hurtigruten
„Björn uten Bukse“

26. Case Study 3: Liebe am Fjord

27. Liebe am Fjord – The First Two Films (2010)
Gesang des Windes
Sommersturm

28. Assessing and Securing
the Film-inducing Tourism Potential of
Liebe am Fjord
1. Assessment of the films prior to their televised release
2. Identification of tourism-inducing tools
3. Innovation Norway approached the film production company:
- to negotiate the use of film material
- to discuss the Norwegian-relevant content of the films
- to establish a good working relationship for the future
- to discuss joint promotion

29. When to Get Involved
optimal ends here
Starts here? Optimal? Ends here?
The Idea Creative Input Financing Post-Production Ancillary Releases
Development Location Selection Production Festivals
&
Cinema
Releases
Source: adapted from OLSBERG (2007)

30. Destination Marketing through Liebe am Fjord
Location tour/visit with selected travel and film journalists (in
cooperation with Fjord Norway)
Special film premiere in the Abaton Cinema in Hamburg. Norway
was promoted as a travel destination in relation to the film
(banners, posters, main actors as testimonials).
Social Media Marketing, PR, B2C Newsletter
German Microsite

31. German Microsite

32. Outlook: Four New Films in 2011 and 2012
The goal is to incoporate more Norway-specific elements into the
script.
The German Film Research Unit is currently conducting interviews
with various experts to filter relevant themes (ongoing).
One result is that one of the next films (Das Ende der Eiszeit)
will feature the existing village of Fjaeland.

33. Case Study 4: The Empire Strikes Back

34. The Location: Hardangerjøkulen glacier

37. In Conclusion…

38. The Positive Effects of Film Tourism
strengthens relationships between film and tourism industry
contributes to a film-friendly attitude from residents
can support the film industry to promote the production (tie-ins)
contributes to a wider destination branding
can revive influx to established tourist attractions
film location tourism attracts independent and interactive travellers
can be sustainable (cult films, renewed windows of exhibition)

40. Thank you!
Contact:
Stefan Roesch
stefan.roesch@film-tourism.com
www.film-tourism.com