Screen Tourism Potential 'Untapped'

The potential for 'screen tourism' to deliver economic benefits to the UK economy must not be ignored, according to Film London.
The body delivered its New Year message following last year's partnership with the European Screen Destinations project 'EuroScreen', which is set to continue into 2014.
EuroScreen aims to exploit screen tourism by capitalising on the economic and cultural opportunities offered by promoting destinations through film.
The body has published a baseline study, 'The Attraction of Screen Destinations' which, along with various other case studies, exemplifies the power of screen tourism and "the huge potential which is not currently being fully exploited."
One case study focuses on Ystad in Sweden, which has seen a dramatic increase in non-Scandinavian tourists since the broadcast of Wallander, starring Kenneth Branagh.
The British adaptation, which first aired on BBC One in 2008, has been credited with contributing to an 18% rise in British tourists to the region in 2009.
The overall international success of the books and both UK and Swedish adaptations saw Ystad's tourism turnover rise from 490 million SEK (approx. €56m) in 2002 to 720 million SEK (approx. €82.9m) in 2011.
Made up of nine partners from eight European regions, EuroScreen works to facilitate policies between screen and tourism industries for the benefit of local and national economies. Film London is lead partner and has identified popular television shows screened over the Christmas period that could help boost tourism to the UK.
The television schedule featured a number of festive specials, including two internationally-popular programmes Downton Abbey and Sherlock.
The third series of Sherlock starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman returned with 9.2 million viewers in the UK alone, while Downton Abbey has already resulted in a surge in visitors to Highclere Castle estate, according to Film London, making it one of the top 10 tourist sites in Manchester.
"With our European partners, Film London is keen to ensure EuroScreen enables us to take better advantage of this very lucrative market," explained Adrian Wootton, Chief Executive of Film London and the British Film Commission.
"Building data, highlighting success stories and sharing best practice will help us build a coherent screen tourism strategy and align policies between the screen and tourism industries for mutual benefit."
filmlondon.org.uk
(IT/JP)