Film Tourism Research Articles

How nostalgic animations bring tourists to theme parks: The case of Hayao Miyazaki's works

An online survey was conducted to examine how nostalgias associated with Hayao Miyazaki's animations motivate tourists to visit a theme park inspired by the director's works. A structural equation modeling of the collected data revealed that the survey respondents who felt nostalgic about the characters, narratives, aesthetics, cultures, and traditions depicted in the animations showed a strong motivation to visit the theme park, which then positively influenced their attitude and behavioral intention to visit the park in the future. The study findings provided empirical evidence for validating nostalgia as a multidimensional concept and its vital role in promoting film tourism.

Opportunities for the Development of Film Tourism in Kraków

For several years film tourism has been perceived as a new trend in cultural tourism. Following this trend, this work aims to determine which forms of film tourism are currently developing in Kraków. Moreover, it wants to indicate the potential of the city to create a tourism product in this field. In the research, guidebooks, as well as film materials and internet sources, have been used. Moreover, the offer of Kraków travel agencies regarding organised guided tours based on film have been analysed, along with sources such as city council strategic documents and reports. The research has demonstrated that Kraków is a city with high tourist potential in those terms. It regards both film production (including its surrounding area) and organisation of film festivals. However, analysis of guidebooks and local travel agency offers has pointed to a low interest in film. The research presented in the article, due to its attempt at comprehensiveness and upto-dateness in the context of new ideas for the development of tourism products, constitutes a contribution to Polish literature on cultural tourism. In practical terms, it may become an inspiration for those who are responsible for creating tourism products based on Kraków’s film heritage.

Market Potential and Obstacles for Film-Induced Tourism Development in Yunnan Province in China

ABSTRACT Film-induced tourism has obtained increasing global popularity in recent years, and has become a major growth area for some destinations. A rapid development of the movie and television industries in China has also resulted in a growth of film-induced tourism at different scales and levels of success across parts of the country. This study focuses on southwest Yunnan Province where its natural landscapes and cultural diversity are being explored to develop tourism based on movies and television series shot there. Yunnan has established a large number of film studios and bases which have become tourist attractions, but the condition of film-induced tourism development has yet to be studied thoroughly. This paper investigates the factors influencing tourists’ visits and preferred film-induced activities in Yunnan. An analysis of the socio-demographic influences on travel motivations and types of film-induced attractions reveals several weaknesses of Yunnan film-induced tourism, Based on a critical evaluation of the tourism conditions from both survey findings and secondary information, the paper provides a series of policy implication and practical suggestions to film production and tourism decision-makers in Yunnan.

Cinematic itineraries and identities: Studying Bollywood tourism among the Hindustanis in the Netherlands

For decades, the ‘make-believe’ world of Bollywood has created elaborate imaginaries of India. A sizable part of its audience consists of diasporic communities, who not only consume Bollywood movies for entertainment but also as a way to stay connected with their Indian heritage. This study closely looks at one such diasporic community, namely the Dutch Hindustanis, investigating how Bollywood cinema affects their image of India, and how influential Bollywood cinema is in influencing their travel decisions to India. In-depth interviews indicate that Bollywood is a dominant cultural source for defining the respondents’ relationship with India. Moreover, the repeated consumption of Bollywood cinema stirs the desire to actually travel to India, seldom in search of ‘home’, but to visit sites associated with multiple Bollywood movies. Bollywood cinema being from their ‘distant homeland’ also incentivizes their travels to India thereby making it a meaningful experience. This study contributes to film (and) tourism research by introducing the concept of ‘cinematic itinerary’ to refer to these comprehensive film tourism practices.

Rural geographies and the New Chinese Cinemas: Imaging progressive places in Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s Dust in the Wind and Jia Zhangke’s Platform

The New Chinese Cinemas were unprecedented in critiquing official narratives of progress through dramatic location-shot images of rural Taiwan and China. Much more than standing in as a picturesque backdrop, the rural was a site of complex ideological contestations. Yet, existing scholarship overlooks the richness of rural representations, reductively interpreting rural films as works of nostalgia and cultural salvage. Through a comparative analysis of representations of landscape, travel and visual perception in Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s Dust in the Wind () and Jia Zhangke’s Platform (), this article brings into focus the important but largely ignored roles that Hou and Jia have played in envisioning new frameworks for thinking about rural geographies. Drawing from Doreen Massey’s notion of the ‘progressive place’, I investigate how Jiufen and Fenyang – the films’ shooting locations – are stages upon which the directors experimented with imaging and imagining communities. Jiufen is represented in Dust as a porous interface between the urban and rural, a metonym for the film’s representation of Taiwan as a contact zone with China. Platform, by contrast, fashions an image of Fenyang as a non-place, a microcosm of China as it undergoes unchecked neo-liberal development. Significantly, these films went beyond revising rural imaginaries on-screen, to making a material impact on Jiufen and Fenyang by transforming them into landmarks of global film tourism. This work demonstrates how Hou and Jia responded to disorienting social changes not by resisting, but by tactically embracing the blurring of divides between the urban and rural, and local and global.

Film Tourism for Heritage Conservation and Promotion

Film tourism has been recognized as a key instrument in the process of destination development and co-creation of tourist experiences. The promotion of any destination through films can result in attracting more visitors and subsequently, formulation of policies favoring that destination which aid in the conservation and promotion of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the place. In this context, this article analyses the case of Nrityagram, a village formed by the international community of Indian classical dancers. The work highlights the possibility that if promoted as a film tourism destination, Nrityagram can contribute to the promotion and conservation of Indian cultural dance, a form of intangible heritage. The work is primarily qualitative in nature and draws upon existing literature as well as the experiences gained from the field visit made to the said site.

Placing fandom, studying fans: Modified acafandom in practice

For nearly three decades, the field of fan studies has helped to shift the conversation on fandom from a study of pathological individuals to exploring how groups make use of and transform the contemporary media landscape. Fandom itself is also changing. What was once a niche subculture is now a way for us to make sense of the mediated world around us. As the concept and structures of fandom expand, we as fandom researchers must broaden our methodology to analyze fans who aren't like us while also keeping the empathetic understanding of fandom that has made the field what it is. One attempt at this project is the modified acafandom approach developed as part of the Locating Imagination project. In researching film tourism, something I had little interest in personally participating in, I needed to go beyond the traditional autoethnographic acafan approach and develop my skills as a social sciences researcher. However, it was important to me to foreground the perspective of fan studies as a field throughout the project. The result shows how the modified acafandom approach can be useful in both qualitative media research and fan studies. The research modalities of the social sciences can usefully broaden the field of fandom research.

Uploading Social Media as Indirect Promotion Strategies in Film Destination Tourism: Re-Enactment of Ada Apa dengan Cinta 2 in Sellie Coffee

This study aims at understanding tourist activities and re-enactment of AADC 2 that can potentially be an indirect promotion strategy of Sellie Coffee. Uploading photography of the reenactment of AADC 2 in social media leads to a sensational indirect promotion strategy that needs to be paid any attention. This study is conducted in Sellie Coffee, located in Jalan Prawirotaman, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. This research employs qualitative approach and all the data is obtained through literature study, observation, and interview. The research results show that Instagram, one of a popular social media, provides a complete communication facility, from tourism branding to usergenerated content photography. Moreover, the activity of uploading photos related to AADC 2 in Sellie Coffee visited by film tourists in social media has become one of indirect promotion strategies.

Film tourism impacts: a multi-stakeholder longitudinal approach

ABSTRACT This study examines multiple local stakeholders’ perceptions of film tourism impacts to shed light on the complexities of film tourism planning and development, using a longitudinal exploratory research approach. The Japanese TV series Mare (2015) was chosen as the case study. Qualitative interviews with various local stakeholders were conducted over a 21-month-long period of a film tourism development project in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. The study found that this film tourism project was initiated with high expectations. However, due to several incidents, such as the controversial rebuilding of a local highway road for promotional purposes, the audience’s mixed reception of the series’ storyline, and a sexual harassment scandal involving one of the main actors, the film tourism development did not progress as planned. The study also revealed that consultation which included a diverse range of local stakeholders and long-term planning embedded into a larger regional development strategy were key factors for successful film tourism planning and development. We contribute that an investigation of local stakeholders’ consultation, diversity, inclusion and long-term embedding is reflected in perceptions across the pre-, during- and post-production stages. These four complexities provide valuable insights and even explanations for local’s dynamic perceptions of film tourism impacts.

Influence of new cinematographic and television operators on the attractivity of tourist destinations

Purpose This paper aims to anticipate the influence of new cinematographic and television operators on the attractiveness of tourist destinations. Design/methodology/approach The methodology developed is two-fold: first, long-haul observation of the sector, and second, a state of the literature on the topic. Findings These platforms reshape the distribution of audiovisual content and influence consumer behavior. Through the detailed knowledge of users (user data, recommendation algorithm), the platforms have important information at their disposal to build future tourism trends. Originality/value In the continuity of research in film tourism, the authors question the impact of platforms that are now emerging as significant operators in the distribution and creation of audiovisual content.

The evolution of film tourism in Spain. A comparative analysis from the supply-side perspective

In recent years, the Destinations Marketing Organizations (DMOs) have started to include in their destination-marketing plans, as a product creation and image promotion, the films that are being shot in their territories. Two studies were conducted in the present research: First, at the International Cultural Tourism Trade Fair, in-depth interviews were conducted with autonomous community government managers in Spain. The results revealed that the use of film tourism was mainly used because of its economic benefits, high-spending tourists and as an optimum promotion tool aimed at target markets.In the second study, the evolution of film tourism in Spain in the nine years since, we analysed Spanish destination websites using content analysis. The results show an exponential increase in the use of the cinema on the part of the territories: 94.12% of the destinations have film commissions, 82.35% film festivals, 35.29% film tours, and 17.65%, movie maps.

THE DEVELOPING MARKETING STRATEGY TO PROMOTE FILM TOURISM IN MALAYSIA

This paper reviews the conceptual framework of film tourism marketing mix and the proposed framework of the marketing strategy to promote film tourism in Malaysia. A convergent mixed methods design collected qualitative and quantitative in parallel. For qualitative, in-depth interviews with tourism and film industry in Malaysia (n=11) was employed. Whereas, tour operator survey (n=313) of Malaysia Association Tour and Travel Agent (MATTA) was chosen. From data integration, seven success factors (tools) of marketing strategy are identified to promote film tourism in Malaysia. It includes film products, destination attributes, location access, destination promotion, creative teams, packages based on famous film and collaboration film commissions and government efforts. The practical implication of this paper will be of value to academics and industry practitioners interested in film tourism and indeed tourism in general as well as students studying the film tourism phenomenon. It also could benefit destination managers, academics, film and television stakeholders who have an interest in screen-tourism destination development.

Investigating film-induced tourism potential: The influence of Korean TV dramas on Hong Kong young adults

ABSTRACTMore and more tourism destinations have begun to utilize the increasing influence of Asian pop entertainment media, in an attempt to diversify their products and tourists’ experiences. This paper investigates Korean TV dramas as the determinant of film-induced tourism using a survey of a sample of Hong Kong young adults (n = 220). The study confirms a moderate correlation between the characteristics of Korean TV drama and the behavioral intention to travel to these film destinations. The results show a moderate level of interest and a small potential market among the respondents only, which is not sufficiently strong according to the relatively low ratings, and the respondents show less inclination to realize their motivations to be a “travel action.” Two motivational factors are identified, namely inner conception and outer attributes, to mobilize the respondents to film-induced travel. Specifically, the respondents consider character fantasy, relaxation and romance, and vicarious experience as the strongest determinants in inducing more travel to film destinations in Korea. More respondents perceive themselves to be general or serendipitous film tourists, who regard filming site visitation to only constitute one part of their entire trip’s activities and travel experiences, and novelty and prestige as the main motivators. A relatively small group of specific film tourists focus on vicarious experiences, along with the romantic feelings of film characters and scenes. These results provide film destination planners and marketers with useful information about product and experience diversification, as well as an opportunity for market segmentation.

Place, Peripherality, and Play: Reflections on Film Tourism in Ireland

Place, Peripherality, and Play: Reflections on Film Tourism in Ireland

ROLE OF MOVIES TO PROMOTE CULTURAL HERITAGE TOURISM IN EGYPT

Cinematic movie themes are oriented so that their scenes include locations and landmarks Heritage and archeology, one of the tools that the countries of the world are turning to recently to stimulate tourism And take advantage of its cultural and economic resources, in what has been called film tourism or tourism Movies Movie- induced Tourism. Egypt is replete with many places of cultural heritage, which are notable for tourism The world, therefore, it is necessary to take care of it and spread awareness by preserving it and promoting it to the world in an impressive way Through multiple means and contemporary tools, the most important of which is the promotion of cinematic films, in light of research Tourists have experiences and interests different from their usual experiences of tourist sites.

“I Don’t Think the Two Would Be the Same Without Each Other”: Portmeirion as Unintentional Paratext

This paper investigates the relationship between the fans and fandom of 1960s cult television favorite The Prisoner and its main filming location of Portmeirion in north Wales. Specifically, it explores the way in which Portmeirion has been utilized as a paratext of The Prisoner, a way in which to expand the experience and understanding of the show, and what this suggests about film tourism as a practice. It does so via an ethnographic approach, drawing upon 16 interviews with fans of The Prisoner who are regular visitors to Portmeirion, participatory observation in Portmeirion, and analysis of fan texts. Through these methods, it is shown how Prisoner fans develop their paratextual understanding of Portmeirion, exploring what elements from the narratives of the show, the show’s creation, and Portmeirion’s story are utilized, and how this has worked over time as fans make visiting a regular part of their lives. In doing so, it shows not only how place and tourism have become integral to understanding The Prisoner for many of its long-term fans, but suggests that filming locations can be more generally thought of as unintentional (as in, not designed for the purpose) paratexts, and that paratextual theory is necessary for understanding what film tourism as a practice is.

Enhancing celebrity fan-destination relationship in film-induced tourism: The effect of authenticity

Academics and practitioners have focused on the importance of film-induced tourism for destination marketing. Although the relationship between authenticity and destination loyalty has been evidenced, few studies have explored the psychological mechanism through which authenticity influences destination loyalty. The present study fills the research gap by considering the role of celebrity attachment. The statistical analyses conducted in this study included confirmatory factor analysis, correlation analysis, structural equation modeling, mediation analysis, and bootstrapping analysis. Data from 354 purposeful film tourists revealed that constructivist authenticity had a positive effect on existential authenticity but no direct influence on destination loyalty. Existential authenticity had a direct influence on destination loyalty. Celebrity attachment mediated the influences of constructivist and existential authenticity on destination loyalty. Therefore, celebrity attachment is a crucial mediator between authenticity and film destination choices for purposeful film tourists. Finally, existential authenticity had a stronger influence on destination loyalty than did constructivist authenticity.

The Buppaesanniwas phenomenon: ‘Thainess’ and national identity as a film tourism motivation

ABSTRACT The 2018 Thai soap opera Buppaesanniwas was a genre-breaking historical-fantasy drama and a surprise hit among Thai audiences that resulted in a dramatic rise of domestic tourists to the Ayutthaya World Heritage Site. The television series was lauded as a celebration of Thai culture, and fans often visited the ancient ruins dressed in traditional Thai clothing. This paper explores the case study of the film tourism phenomenon at Ayutthaya and pays particular attention to the idea of national and cultural identity as a tourism motivation using field observations, media research and purposive interviews. Film tourism has typically been driven by the desire to see the landscapes featured in the media, but in this case, we find that the desire to visit Ayutthaya as a destination is also as much about celebrating the idea of ‘Thainess’ which is manifested by the accompanying trend of wearing traditional Thai dress.

Co-creating communities: Fandoms in tourism spaces

Fandoms as expressions of popular culture are characterized by common interests and a sense of belonging and community. Creating and participating in communities is an inherent part of fandom, with tourism providing spaces for this community building to occur face to face. Overlaps between tourism and fandoms have been identified in popular culture (e.g. film tourism contexts); previous research, however, is characterized by disciplinary fragmentation and ambiguous transferability. This article introduces a conceptual framework of fan-based community co-creation, taking into account different intensities of fan involvement as well as factors that contribute to a psychologically perceived sense of community. The framework’s applicability to on-site tourism activities and fan-based events is illustrated, and recommendations for its empirical verification are provided.

Anime pilgrimage in Japan: Focusing Social Influences as determinants

Japanese animation, anime, has long been regarded as a niche culture reserved for anime otaku in Japan. The word anime otaku refers to individuals who spend most of their time alone at home, watching anime. However, in recent years, prototypical anime otaku have changed their behavioral patterns, resulting in a new movement called anime pilgrimage. Anime pilgrimage involves traveling to locations that resemble particular scenes in anime pieces, even though the locations themselves may be ordinary places. The authors constructed two models to describe the determinants of visit intention and destination loyalty based on research into ordinary and film tourism. The results suggested that, during the pre-tour period, otaku are motivated by the desire for interaction with other otaku and the wish to visit a new location. Moreover, they are also seeking to interact with the local people, and such experiences result in higher destination loyalty during the post-tour period.