Beyond its creative and cultural impact, film plays a powerful role in driving economic growth. Film tourism is now one of the fastest-growing sectors in the industry, with some destinations seeing a lasting uplift in visitor numbers.
Beyond its creative and cultural impact, film plays a powerful role in driving economic growth. Film tourism is now one of the fastest-growing sectors in the industry, with some destinations seeing a lasting uplift in visitor numbers. One of the most well-known examples is The Lord of the Rings, which has firmly established film tourism as a major contributor to New Zealand’s visitor economy, adding around NZ$32.8 million in annual visitor spending.
Film and television are some of Britain's most influential cultural exports, shaping how audiences around the world see and experience the country. British destinations have capitalised on the global appeal of their locations being featured in films like Harry Potter, which has contributed to a 120% increase in visitors at Alnwick Castle, and Braveheart, which resulted in a 300% increase in tourism to Scotland after its release. Recent research by VisitBritain highlights the increasing influence of film and TV on travel decisions, with 9 in 10 potential visitors keen to explore filming locations and 7 in 10 having already done so in the past decade.
Based on extensive research into the influence of film and TV locations on visits to the UK, VisitBritain recognised the vast potential of film tourism in spreading regional dispersion of travellers across the entirety of the UK. For 34% of international travellers, visiting a film or TV location is the primary reason for travelling outside London, while for 39% it has some influence. With London receiving 53% of all international travellers in 2023, using film tourism as a tool for addressing regionality and visitor dispersion presents a major opportunity to inspire travel beyond London and into the rest of the UK.
Recognising this opportunity, VisitBritain launched its Starring GREAT Britain campaign in January, leveraging the UK’s rich screen heritage. This integrated online and offline marketing campaign uses a mix of platforms, to reach both the travel trade and potential travellers. Coinciding with the launch of the campaign, VisitBritain strategically aligned the campaign with the release of Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, using the film’s widespread appeal to engage key travel trade, media and airline partners. At exclusive events, hosted in major European cities, attendees were immersed in British film culture, with a special screening of the romcom and a preview of the campaign’s hero video. Through these actions, the broad appeal of the UK was put on display, encouraging trade partners to add more regional destinations to their tours and the role that film tourism locations can play in adding value to their tours.
Alongside this trade activation, VisitBritain is also directly targeting travellers through a coordinated full-spectrum campaign that drives visitors from inspiration all the way through to booking. The hero video is directed by Academy Award-winning director Tom Hooper, highlighting destinations across England, Scotland and Wales as the backdrop for compelling storytelling. This is complemented by digital billboards in famous city locations like Kurfürstendamm in Berlin, Gare du Nord Station in Paris and the City Walk hub in Dubai, which significantly expand the campaign's reach and visibility. For example, the digital out-of-home activation in Dubai had a paid media reach of 147.5 million impressions. Leveraging always-on marketing, the Starring GREAT Britain campaign is regularly showcased on VisitBritain’s social channels and prominently featured on its website through a creative approach to digital marketing.
Here, at the Digital Tourism Think Tank, we see the campaign's hero marketing approach as a powerful tool for promoting locations featured in films and TV. By placing its target market in the frame, VisitBritain draws a parallel between fiction and reality, while capitalising on the relatable characteristics of film characters. The campaign achieves what every good film does, keeping the viewer both engaged and distanced from the story. Visitors in the video are at the heart of the narrative, yet they are also intertwined with fictional characters and their interactions with the filming locations. Through this creative storytelling, the viewer is reminded that these are real places they can visit, enabling them to immerse themselves in the story, even in the real world.
DMOs can take inspiration from this approach by focusing on visually impactful locations that play a central role in film storytelling. Through this strategy, DMOs can align film tourism with what their destination offers in relation to cultural heritage, historic landmarks and contemporary attractions. While many destinations already make such connections in relation to a specific film, where the Starring GREAT Britain campaign truly stands out is through the partnership with the British Film Commission and extensive licensing agreements with Disney, Netflix, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, STUDIOCANAL, Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. Discovery to include short snippets of famous films and TV shows alongside the content produced by VisitBritain. Given that many films and TV shows have connections to multiple countries, such as the connection to Paddington being promoted by both the UK and Peru, taking such a strong strategic approach enables VisitBritain to position the UK's diverse offer through a range of films and attract a broader appeal.
Placing British destinations at the forefront of the marketing message, the Starring GREAT Britain campaign makes these locations the real stars, inviting viewers to become part of the storytelling. An approach like this puts the marketing message at the centre and places potential visitors within the storyline in a highly cinematic way, while reinforcing the core concept of film tourism.
The campaign directs viewers to a dedicated film tourism section on VisitBritain’s website, featuring itineraries inspired by various film genres, like romance, fantasy, action and adventure. This encourages travellers to expand their plans, explore more regional destinations and extend their stays. By introducing a dedicated landing page that serves as the hub of the campaign, VisitBritain drives visitor fulfilment and builds on the inspirational nature of the hero video. This well-designed digital space is simple to navigate but provides a comprehensive guide to the UK's most iconic filming locations. A digital map connects visitors to film-inspired locations, attractions and experiences across the UK, with multiple layers of filtering to help visitors select the attractions that connect best with their film and travel preferences. This allows travellers to delve deeper into specific film and TV locations across Britain, enhancing engagement through personal exploration.
The digital hub also provides long-form content that guides potential travellers through various film and TV experiences. Visitors can embark on themed trips lasting up to seven days, exploring different locations based on their favourite genres. For example, the “Fall in Love with Britain’s Romantic Filming Locations” itinerary suggests visits to iconic locations from romance films. VisitBritain has also created similar itineraries for major blockbusters like Mission Impossible. The itineraries are complete with detailed descriptions, recommended activities and practical travel information, enhancing the planning process for potential visitors.
By developing digital tools like interactive maps and itineraries tailored by genre, VisitBritain is making it easier for visitors to explore these iconic filming locations in a way that feels intuitive and immersive. The multi-day itineraries are a digital approach for inviting further discovery, while aiming to prolong the average length of stay and, therefore, the value of tourism. These specific details enable visitors to transition from awareness to discovery and planning. With film tourism experiences available to purchase through the VisitBritain Shop, the campaign's inspiring and actionable content also directly supports decision-making.
Creatively designed marketing campaigns like this one blend digital elements with real tourism experiences. This is useful when marketing film tourism as it positions visitors as central characters in their own travel story. The use of cinematic techniques in promotional content also enhances emotional engagement, making the campaign more impactful and memorable. DMOs can implement this by using film and TV to create immersive tourism experiences by leveraging digital platforms and compelling storytelling, while genre-based filtering systems help visitors discover destinations that match their cinematic interests. By seamlessly blending an interactive portal with supporting long-form content in the form of detailed articles and itineraries, Starring GREAT Britain is an excellent example of digital tourism marketing.
Regional partnerships with LVEPs (Local Visitor Economy Partnerships) are key to spreading the message of the UK's vast film tourism offer, multiplying the campaign's impact by sharing local film tourism experiences on their own channels using #StarringGreatBritain. LVEPs are a new type of DMO in England, enabling multiple local authorities to collaborate and form a more effective and unified regional approach to tourism. The Starring GREAT Britain campaign marks the first nationwide marketing activation under this model, with VisitBritain leading the way in designing and coordinating a highly impactful strategy that brings together destination partners across the country.
By bringing together different tourism organisations under a cohesive strategy, destinations can amplify their impact while maintaining distinctive local identities. This collaborative model represents an essential direction for destination marketing that creates consistent messaging with tailored regional experiences. In doing so, regional tourism boards can strategically align themselves with national campaigns while enhancing local visitor experiences and economies. DMOs should deliberately connect creative campaign concepts to specific regional content. As an example, Visit Cornwall has strategically dedicated a section on its website to showcase regional film productions and curated tours of filming locations, including those from House of the Dragon, which was also featured in VisitBritain's hero video and suggested trip itineraries.
To align themselves with the Starring Great Britain campaign, Cumbria Tourism has also dedicated a section on its website to promoting a film and TV timeline for the major productions filmed in the region. This timeline references Lake District locations in films like Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1, which was also included in VisitBritain's hero video. Cumbria Tourism is also engaging with the campaign on their social media, with posts of the locations featured in the new Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.
Demonstrating a truly holistic buy-in among UK DMOs, VisitScotland is also amplifying the campaign, highlighting Scottish filming heritage in a video campaign produced for #StarringGreatBritain. Transforming these connections into actionable visitor experiences, the DMO has also developed an interactive map and suggested itineraries, for popular series like Outlander, helping expand the reach and fulfilment opportunities for potential travellers interested in exploring film tourism locations.
A collaborative and strategically aligned approach to film tourism allows DMOs across the entire country to harness the power of the national campaign, while shining light on the different regions. The Starring GREAT Britain campaign exemplifies how uniting efforts across multiple regions can amplify impact, create consistent messaging and drive economic growth. By integrating film tourism into their broader marketing strategies, destinations can craft compelling visitor experiences that highlight iconic filming locations and strengthen the local tourism ecosystem.
Beyond its creative and cultural impact, film plays a powerful role in driving economic growth. Film tourism is now one of the fastest-growing sectors in the industry, with some destinations seeing a lasting uplift in visitor numbers. One of the most well-known examples is The Lord of the Rings, which has firmly established film tourism as a major contributor to New Zealand’s visitor economy, adding around NZ$32.8 million in annual visitor spending.
Film and television are some of Britain's most influential cultural exports, shaping how audiences around the world see and experience the country. British destinations have capitalised on the global appeal of their locations being featured in films like Harry Potter, which has contributed to a 120% increase in visitors at Alnwick Castle, and Braveheart, which resulted in a 300% increase in tourism to Scotland after its release. Recent research by VisitBritain highlights the increasing influence of film and TV on travel decisions, with 9 in 10 potential visitors keen to explore filming locations and 7 in 10 having already done so in the past decade.
Based on extensive research into the influence of film and TV locations on visits to the UK, VisitBritain recognised the vast potential of film tourism in spreading regional dispersion of travellers across the entirety of the UK. For 34% of international travellers, visiting a film or TV location is the primary reason for travelling outside London, while for 39% it has some influence. With London receiving 53% of all international travellers in 2023, using film tourism as a tool for addressing regionality and visitor dispersion presents a major opportunity to inspire travel beyond London and into the rest of the UK.
Recognising this opportunity, VisitBritain launched its Starring GREAT Britain campaign in January, leveraging the UK’s rich screen heritage. This integrated online and offline marketing campaign uses a mix of platforms, to reach both the travel trade and potential travellers. Coinciding with the launch of the campaign, VisitBritain strategically aligned the campaign with the release of Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, using the film’s widespread appeal to engage key travel trade, media and airline partners. At exclusive events, hosted in major European cities, attendees were immersed in British film culture, with a special screening of the romcom and a preview of the campaign’s hero video. Through these actions, the broad appeal of the UK was put on display, encouraging trade partners to add more regional destinations to their tours and the role that film tourism locations can play in adding value to their tours.
Alongside this trade activation, VisitBritain is also directly targeting travellers through a coordinated full-spectrum campaign that drives visitors from inspiration all the way through to booking. The hero video is directed by Academy Award-winning director Tom Hooper, highlighting destinations across England, Scotland and Wales as the backdrop for compelling storytelling. This is complemented by digital billboards in famous city locations like Kurfürstendamm in Berlin, Gare du Nord Station in Paris and the City Walk hub in Dubai, which significantly expand the campaign's reach and visibility. For example, the digital out-of-home activation in Dubai had a paid media reach of 147.5 million impressions. Leveraging always-on marketing, the Starring GREAT Britain campaign is regularly showcased on VisitBritain’s social channels and prominently featured on its website through a creative approach to digital marketing.
Here, at the Digital Tourism Think Tank, we see the campaign's hero marketing approach as a powerful tool for promoting locations featured in films and TV. By placing its target market in the frame, VisitBritain draws a parallel between fiction and reality, while capitalising on the relatable characteristics of film characters. The campaign achieves what every good film does, keeping the viewer both engaged and distanced from the story. Visitors in the video are at the heart of the narrative, yet they are also intertwined with fictional characters and their interactions with the filming locations. Through this creative storytelling, the viewer is reminded that these are real places they can visit, enabling them to immerse themselves in the story, even in the real world.
DMOs can take inspiration from this approach by focusing on visually impactful locations that play a central role in film storytelling. Through this strategy, DMOs can align film tourism with what their destination offers in relation to cultural heritage, historic landmarks and contemporary attractions. While many destinations already make such connections in relation to a specific film, where the Starring GREAT Britain campaign truly stands out is through the partnership with the British Film Commission and extensive licensing agreements with Disney, Netflix, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, STUDIOCANAL, Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. Discovery to include short snippets of famous films and TV shows alongside the content produced by VisitBritain. Given that many films and TV shows have connections to multiple countries, such as the connection to Paddington being promoted by both the UK and Peru, taking such a strong strategic approach enables VisitBritain to position the UK's diverse offer through a range of films and attract a broader appeal.
Placing British destinations at the forefront of the marketing message, the Starring GREAT Britain campaign makes these locations the real stars, inviting viewers to become part of the storytelling. An approach like this puts the marketing message at the centre and places potential visitors within the storyline in a highly cinematic way, while reinforcing the core concept of film tourism.
The campaign directs viewers to a dedicated film tourism section on VisitBritain’s website, featuring itineraries inspired by various film genres, like romance, fantasy, action and adventure. This encourages travellers to expand their plans, explore more regional destinations and extend their stays. By introducing a dedicated landing page that serves as the hub of the campaign, VisitBritain drives visitor fulfilment and builds on the inspirational nature of the hero video. This well-designed digital space is simple to navigate but provides a comprehensive guide to the UK's most iconic filming locations. A digital map connects visitors to film-inspired locations, attractions and experiences across the UK, with multiple layers of filtering to help visitors select the attractions that connect best with their film and travel preferences. This allows travellers to delve deeper into specific film and TV locations across Britain, enhancing engagement through personal exploration.
The digital hub also provides long-form content that guides potential travellers through various film and TV experiences. Visitors can embark on themed trips lasting up to seven days, exploring different locations based on their favourite genres. For example, the “Fall in Love with Britain’s Romantic Filming Locations” itinerary suggests visits to iconic locations from romance films. VisitBritain has also created similar itineraries for major blockbusters like Mission Impossible. The itineraries are complete with detailed descriptions, recommended activities and practical travel information, enhancing the planning process for potential visitors.
By developing digital tools like interactive maps and itineraries tailored by genre, VisitBritain is making it easier for visitors to explore these iconic filming locations in a way that feels intuitive and immersive. The multi-day itineraries are a digital approach for inviting further discovery, while aiming to prolong the average length of stay and, therefore, the value of tourism. These specific details enable visitors to transition from awareness to discovery and planning. With film tourism experiences available to purchase through the VisitBritain Shop, the campaign's inspiring and actionable content also directly supports decision-making.
Creatively designed marketing campaigns like this one blend digital elements with real tourism experiences. This is useful when marketing film tourism as it positions visitors as central characters in their own travel story. The use of cinematic techniques in promotional content also enhances emotional engagement, making the campaign more impactful and memorable. DMOs can implement this by using film and TV to create immersive tourism experiences by leveraging digital platforms and compelling storytelling, while genre-based filtering systems help visitors discover destinations that match their cinematic interests. By seamlessly blending an interactive portal with supporting long-form content in the form of detailed articles and itineraries, Starring GREAT Britain is an excellent example of digital tourism marketing.
Regional partnerships with LVEPs (Local Visitor Economy Partnerships) are key to spreading the message of the UK's vast film tourism offer, multiplying the campaign's impact by sharing local film tourism experiences on their own channels using #StarringGreatBritain. LVEPs are a new type of DMO in England, enabling multiple local authorities to collaborate and form a more effective and unified regional approach to tourism. The Starring GREAT Britain campaign marks the first nationwide marketing activation under this model, with VisitBritain leading the way in designing and coordinating a highly impactful strategy that brings together destination partners across the country.
By bringing together different tourism organisations under a cohesive strategy, destinations can amplify their impact while maintaining distinctive local identities. This collaborative model represents an essential direction for destination marketing that creates consistent messaging with tailored regional experiences. In doing so, regional tourism boards can strategically align themselves with national campaigns while enhancing local visitor experiences and economies. DMOs should deliberately connect creative campaign concepts to specific regional content. As an example, Visit Cornwall has strategically dedicated a section on its website to showcase regional film productions and curated tours of filming locations, including those from House of the Dragon, which was also featured in VisitBritain's hero video and suggested trip itineraries.
To align themselves with the Starring Great Britain campaign, Cumbria Tourism has also dedicated a section on its website to promoting a film and TV timeline for the major productions filmed in the region. This timeline references Lake District locations in films like Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1, which was also included in VisitBritain's hero video. Cumbria Tourism is also engaging with the campaign on their social media, with posts of the locations featured in the new Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy.
Demonstrating a truly holistic buy-in among UK DMOs, VisitScotland is also amplifying the campaign, highlighting Scottish filming heritage in a video campaign produced for #StarringGreatBritain. Transforming these connections into actionable visitor experiences, the DMO has also developed an interactive map and suggested itineraries, for popular series like Outlander, helping expand the reach and fulfilment opportunities for potential travellers interested in exploring film tourism locations.
A collaborative and strategically aligned approach to film tourism allows DMOs across the entire country to harness the power of the national campaign, while shining light on the different regions. The Starring GREAT Britain campaign exemplifies how uniting efforts across multiple regions can amplify impact, create consistent messaging and drive economic growth. By integrating film tourism into their broader marketing strategies, destinations can craft compelling visitor experiences that highlight iconic filming locations and strengthen the local tourism ecosystem.
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