New Mexico's Study
New Mexico's film office took a survey of visitors to their state and correlated the data with a study conducted by Ernst & Young to estimate that at its most conservative, tourism had increased in their state by 5.5% due to the films made there.
Comprehensive Study finds Film's Impact on Tourism permanent, substantial
"One of the major economic benefits and factors of film tourism is that viewing film locations can often be an all-year, all-weather attraction, thus alleviating problems of seasonality (Beeton 2004a). One of the interesting aspects of film tourism is that it can be enduring. A film can continue to draw visitors year after year. Riley, Baker, and van Doren (1998) found that although the peak of interest comes after a film is released, a 54% increase in visitation was evident at least 5 years later in the 12 films they studied and images are often retained for a long time." - Promoting Destinations via Film Tourism: An Empirical Identification of Supporting Marketing Initiatives, SIMON HUDSON AND J. R. BRENT RITCHIE
UK Study shows impact of tourism
- Alnwick Castle, the location for Hogwarts, saw a 120% rise in visitor numbers following the release of Harry Potter. The films are estimated to have brought in £9 million in tourist revenue to the area. The trend was mirrored in other locations used in the film: Gloucester Cathedral's visitor numbers rose by 50% following the release of the first of the Harry Potter films.
- Burghley House saw a 20% rise in visitor numbers following its use in the film Pride and Prejudice while coach tours at Basildon Park went up 76%.
- Lincoln Cathedral saw a 26% rise in visitor numbers, Rosslyn Chapel a 33% increase and Temple Church, London, a five-fold rise following the release of the The Da Vinci Code.
- Notting Hill gave international prominence to an area of London relatively unknown outside the city. The film provoked a huge and lasting influx of tourists searching for the famous 'blue door' and inspired a number of specialist guided walks.
- Eleven years on, fans still flock to Corrour, the train station used in Trainspotting despite it being the most remote station in the UK.
- Monty Python and the Holy Grail was made in 1975 and continues to draw visitors to Doune Castle in Stirlingshire. Braveheart boosted tourism in Scotland and to Stirling's William Wallace Monument in particular. Visitors went up from 40,000 to over 200,000 and takings from £40,000 to £1 million. The combined tourist income from Rob Roy and Braveheart was £15 million in 1996.
- Prior to Mrs Brown, visitor numbers at Osborne House had been falling for years. They shot up immediately on release of the film in 1997 and by 1998 were up 25% with 250,000 visitors. Revenues reached £1.1 million a 20% increase on 1996. The effect has been long-term with 235,558 visitors in 2005.
