Paddington, the beloved bear from Peru, returns to the big screen after six years on Friday, February 14. In the newest Paddington movie, “Paddington in Peru”, he travels to Peru to learn more about his origins and showcase Peru to the world.
PROMPERÚ, the official tourism board of Peru, created this website highlighting travel destinations found in the movie and also features helpful tips on traveling to Peru and deals to book a Peruvian adventure.
In “Paddington in Peru”, Paddington travels to Peru with the Brown family to visit his dear Aunt Lucy, who now lives in the home for retired bears. What begins as an emotional visit soon turns into a thrilling journey, where the characters find themselves wrapped in a mystery that takes them from the lush Amazon rainforest to the breathtaking peaks of the Peruvian Andes.
Among the locations chosen for filming are the Historic Center of Lima, the Plaza Mayor, nearby streets and the Miraflores district in Lima. You can also see the wonder of the modern world, the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu and the town of Machu Picchu.
Filmed in Peru assisted in filming in the regions of Lima and Cusco. In recent years, Film In Peru has supported international audiovisual productions such as Dora and the Lost City of Gold, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, Street Food Latin America, Down to Earth with Zac Efron, La Reina del Sur, among others.
Travel/Food is pleased to welcome guest blogger Eloise Marie Valadez who will be contributing frequently to our site. Eloise is a professional journalist/writer and editor with four decades of experience covering the arts, entertainment, and culinary industries. A native of Chicago, she has a passion for the written word.
By Eloise Marie Valadez
One of the world’s esteemed film festivals is currently celebrating a monumental anniversary, The Chicago International Film Festival, marking 60 years in The Windy City, continues to Oct. 27.
The fest, which is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America, features an array of eclectic films spanning various genres.
“Our 60th Festival represents a transformational year, an opportunity for renewal and growth into the next six decades. Just like our viewers and our filmmakers, the Festival itself keeps evolving, with our eyes and our ears forever open to pressing stories of today and new images of our collective tomorrow,” said festival artistic director Mimi Plauche and managing director Vivian Teng, in a statement.
Photo courtesy of the Chicago International Film Festival.
Attendees of the 2024 rendition of the festival will see everything from comedic and dramatic presentations to hard-hitting documentaries, animated contributions and engaging shorts.
On the agenda this year are 122 feature films, 71 shorts, four World Premieres, 19 North American Premieres and 16 U.S. Premieres. Films starring in the fest include international works from more than 60 countries.
Among highlights this year is the closing event featuring the screening of “Here” at The Music Box Theatre on Sunday, Oct. 27. The original film, directed by Robert Zemeckis, stars Tom Hanks and Robin Wright in a story with family themes at its core. The closing night program also includes A Tribute to Robert Zemeckis and the presentation of The Founder’s Legacy Award to the director.
Other films on the fest agenda include “Happy Holidays,” “Slice of Life: The American Dream,” “A Photographic Memory,” “Pavements,” “Flow,” “Ghost Trail,” “The Light of Truth: Richard Hunt’s Monument to Ida B. Wells” and others.
Photo courtesy of the Chicago International Film Festival.
Film festival screenings will take place at AMC Newcity 14, Music Box Theatre, Hamilton Park Cultural Center, Gene Siskel Film Center, Chicago History Museum and Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts at The University of Chicago.
For five days each January, the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary brings the world of cinema to northeast Michigan with some of the most impressive ocean and Great Lakes films from around the world. Film screenings are complemented by social events, educational activities, and opportunities to meet filmmakers.
The Thunder Bay Film Festival is the only water-focused cinematic event in the state of Michigan—which is surrounded by four of the five Great Lakes and boasts nearly 3,200 miles of freshwater coastline (the longest in the country). The Great Lakes cover more than 94,000-square-miles and holds an estimated six quadrillion gallons of water—about one-fifth of the world’s freshwater surface water supply and nine-tenths of the U.S. supply. The protection of water, native aquatic species and a healthy environment are of particular interest to Michiganders and the documentaries lined up for this year’s festival are sure to educate and entertain.
WHEN: Wednesday,January 24 through Sunday, January 28, 2024
DETAILS:
68 Films
3 Venues
3 cities in 3 counties in northeast Michigan
HIGHLIGHTS:
Michigan premier of RELENTLESS (Running time: 92 minutes. Writer/Director/Producer: Thomas Lindsey Haskin). Narrated by Oscar-winning actor J.K. Simmons, this film tells the fascinating true story about remarkable people tackling an exotic species invasion that nearly destroyed the largest freshwater ecosystem on Earth: the Great Lakes. The silent predator devastated jobs and businesses, threatening the survival of cities, towns and indigenous communities across the region. The film traces how tenacious scientists identified the menace then struggled to control it. Their work continues to influence the Great Lakes region’s economic fortunes and sounds a warning about how invasive species threaten the future of vital natural resources and the prosperity of millions around the world today. This January 24 screening takes place in Rogers City which sits a short drive south of Lake Huron’s Hammond Bay where fishery scientists took up the challenge of controlling sea lamprey at a laboratory that still stands there. The Hammond Bay Biological Station remains the primary US federal laboratory conducting research into methods to control sea lamprey in the Great Lakes. People involved in that fight live in the region—including many who worked there in the 1960s.
Crossing Ontario: The End. Join Emmy award-winning photojournalist and documentary producer Corey Adkins for the premier of the latest in his 6-part Paddling the Great Lakes series on Friday evening as part of the Great Lakes Gala Reception & Films, taking place at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena from 6-9pm. Working as a cameraman/producer/director for the non-profit Stand Up for the Great Lakes, Corey has documented the group’s endeavors in crossing the Great Lakes (as well as traversing Michigan’s 50-mile Chain of Lakes Water Trail) in order to raise awareness and funds for these critical natural resources. Corey’s previous films from this series have been shown at the TBIFF and this, the final installment, is the culmination of the group’s 9-year project. With a 25-year video production career, Corey is also the Content/Communications Coordinator for the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society.
Sanctuary Selections. The first professional film competition at the Thunder Bay Film Festival, solely focused on Great Lakes Content. The theme is “Representing the Great Lakes through Strong Storytelling” with a focus on discovery, authentic experience and human connection. The Top 5 films will be shown on Saturday, January 27 at 6pm at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena, when the winner will be announced. This competition is being held in partnership with The Sunset Project—a nonprofit organization focused on investing in creative communities and changing how northeast Michigan views mental health.
Student Film Competition. Students in grades 6 through 12 are invited to submit a short film, three minutes or less, related to “Life in the Great Lakes.” There is no entry fee and selected films will be shown at the festival on Saturday, January 27. Submission deadline: January 5, 2024. See attached for details.
COST:
All Access Thunder Pass – Valid for the entire festival ($125 per person)
TBIFF on the Road – Rogers City (Wednesday, January 24, 6-9pm, Rogers Theater. $10 per person)
TBIFF on the Road – Harrisville (Thursday, January 25 @ 6pm, Alcona County LIbrary. $10 per person)
Great Lakes Gala Reception & Films (Friday, January 26 – Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena, 6-9pm. $30 per person includes hors d’oeuvres and dessert, with a cash bar)
Sanctuary Selections with The Sunset Project (Saturday, January 27 – Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena, 6-9pm. $20 per person includes light snacks, with a cash bar)
Programs (Varied times Friday, Saturday & Sunday. $10 per person, per program)
The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary encompasses 4,300 square miles in northwestern Lake Huron and exists to preserve our Great Lakes maritime heritage, including a significant collection of historic shipwrecks. Through innovative, accessible educational programs and community outreach, the sanctuary strives to protect our great lakes for future generations. The sanctuary promotes appreciation and responsible use of Thunder Bay, the Great Lakes and the oceans. Visit the sanctuary at ThunderBay.noaa.gov and at facebook.com/ThunderBayShipwrecks
IIf you ever asked to guess what the most popular holiday movies are, we can assure you, according to PlayStar, which did a deep dive into US audiences’ data to discover what the best Christmas movies are in the US.
My two thoughts, the 1946 holiday classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” with Donna Reed and James Stewart who plays George Bailey, a beleagured businessman who realizes, with the help of an angel and “Christmas in Connecticut” where Barbara Stanwyck plays a columnist who writes “Diary of a Housewife” though she’s neither a wife or much of a housekeeper or cook. She has to pretend to be one when a rescued WWII sailor played by handsome Dennie Morgan, comes to stay at her “home” in Connecticut where gasp, she’s expected to cook a turkey. You can guess how this turns out. But it didn’t make PlayStar’s list except for those living in Connecticut–go figure. And “It’s a Wonderful Life” also is a fav. But the real winner is “Die Hard” with Bruce Willis. Read on for more information.
So what did?
PlayStar has taken the top 100 Christmas movies of all time to verify which is truly the best.
Key findings:
‘Die Hard’ is officially the favorite holiday film in the U.S. (more about this below)
Indiana is the most ‘christmassy’ state in the U.S.
Tom Hanks in The Polar Express is America’s favorite Santa
Brilliantly, the data tends to reflect a love of seeing one’s own state in a wintery wonderland (whatever that means to you). Perhaps you recognize the street where the main characters are walking down in the snow, or you could imagine yourself being trapped in your parents’ house as a kid because you’ve driven through the neighborhood the movie’s set in.
Some examples of patriotic states and their top movies include:
Washington – Sleepless in Seattle
Illinois – Home Alone (set in Chicago)
Connecticut – Christmas in Connecticut
Missouri – Meet Me in St. Louis
Minnesota – Jingle All the Way (filmed in the Twin Cities area).
Most popular holiday movies across the US
1988’s Die Hard was also the favorite across the US! Eight states named the franchise’s debut as their all-time Christmas movie. Others argue whether it should be classed as a festive movie at all, but if eight whole states think so, we’re happy to let that slide.
Other popular movies were Home Alone and Edward Scissorhands, which won the votes of four states each. Elf and Christmas with the Kranks were next on the list.
There were quite a few individual favorites by different states, such as Scrooged, Nightmare before Christmas, Meet Me in St. Louis, and It’s a Wonderful Life! If anything, this shows how many great movies are out there to love at Christmas time.
Which is the most popular festive film in the US?
While the debate as to whether ‘Die Hard’ is actually a holiday movie is still ongoing, the data reveals that it is officially the favorite in the US. Eight states including Florida, Maryland, and Virginia crowned it as their favorite, taking the 1988 title to the top of the list.
‘Home Alone’ and ‘Edward Scissorhands’ were also popular, each being crowned favorite in four states, including Texas and New York.
Which states have the best and worst tastes?
Missouri, Rhode Island and New Mexico are the states with the best taste according to the data, choosing the three most critically acclaimed movies for their top spots, including ‘Meet Me In St.Louis’ (IMDB rating 7.5) and ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ (IMDB rating 7.9).
However, Alabama, Kentucky and South Carolina had the worst taste out of the states, choosing the worst rated film as their festive favorite, ‘Christmas With The Kranks’ (IMDB rating 5.4).
Meanwhile, states such as Washington and Connecticut all favored holiday classics based in their area, running the patriotic nature of the country right through to the holiday season. This included classics such as Sleepless in Seattle and Christmas In Connecticut.
Tom Hanks in The Polar Express is America’s favorite Santa!
Tom Hanks tops the list for best movie Santa, his portrayal of Santa in ‘The Polar Express’ earned him the coveted first place with an impressive overall score of 79 out of 100.
Coming in second is Tim Allen, renowned for his role as Scott Calvin in the original 1994 version of ‘The Santa Clause’.
David Harbour and Billy Bob Thornton shared the third position for the best Santa’s with an overall score of 50 for their respective roles in ‘Violent Night’ and ‘Bad Santa.’
Netflix has plenty of other festive movies to keep you entertained this season, with releases like Christmas in Wonderland, Scrooge: A Christmas Carol, The Noel Diary, and Christmas With You all in the top ten for online searches this past month. And with 35 new releases this year alone it is by far the most prolific platform. Theaters (7) and other channels like the once “king of Christmas”: Hallmark (5) simply cannot keep up. Interestingly Disney + will have only one new release. Quality over quantity perhaps?
Now that we’ve given you the low-down on festive movies to delve into this winter, we wanted to find out which of you will be most likely to get into the Christmas spirit.
We used Google trends to identify which states were feeling most ‘Christmassy’.
Ranking at the top was Indiana, which is not too surprising since they have a town named Santa Claus which hosts Christmas-themed attractions year-round! Citizens of Indiana must constantly be feeling ready for Christmas. Next on the list were Ohio, Kentucky, and Utah. Each has their mixture of traditions, from streets (and zoos) of Christmas lights to Christmas tree forests and Dickens Christmas Festivals. It’s no wonder these states feel so festive when there are so many fun Christmas activities to get stuck into!
Methodology
PlayStar collected data about the US’s top 100 Christmas movies from Google trends. The rankings are based on the level of interest in each film per state. The viewer and critic ratings were sourced from IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes.
Still photos courtesy of Amazon.
Perhaps your state doesn’t have its own Christmas movie, but you may subconsciously favor one that’s in the same region!
For example, Vermont were also big fans of Jingle All the Way, and quite a few Southern states loved Edward Scissorhands. Perhaps something about the separate northern or southern climates evokes similar Christmassy feelings to those of your hometown.
On the other hand, some states had unrelated favorites. New Jersey and Pennsylvania were lovers of Jack Frost, while Florida was very into Die Hard.
What better way to get into the holiday spirit than to get snuggled up on the couch with a good movie? Whether you’re into the festive classics or the more obscure titles, there is more than enough choice out there to find out what you’re pining for this season.
New research by PlayStar has discovered the US’ official favorite festive film, including which new release the nation is the most excited for, and which state is the most festive over the holiday season.
Which is the most popular festive film in the US?
While the debate as to whether ‘Die Hard’ is actually a holiday movie is still ongoing, the data reveals that it is officially the favorite in the US. Eight states including Florida, Maryland, and Virginia crowned it as their favorite, taking the 1988 title to the top of the list.
‘Home Alone’ and ‘Edward Scissorhands’ were also popular, each being crowned favorite in four states, including Texas and New York.
Which states have the best and worst tastes?
Missouri, Rhode Island and New Mexico are the states with the best taste according to the data, choosing the three most critically acclaimed movies for their top spots, including ‘Meet Me In St.Louis’ (IMDB rating 7.5) and ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ (IMDB rating 7.9).
However, Alabama, Kentucky and South Carolina had the worst taste out of the states, choosing the worst rated film as their festive favorite, ‘Christmas With The Kranks’ (IMDB rating 5.4).
Meanwhile, states such as Washington and Connecticut all favored holiday classics based in their area, running the patriotic nature of the country right through to the holiday season. This included classics such as Sleepless in Seattle and Christmas In Connecticut.
Tom Hanks in The Polar Express is America’s favorite Santa!
Tom Hanks tops the list for best movie Santa, his portrayal of Santa in ‘The Polar Express’ earned him the coveted first place with an impressive overall score of 79 out of 100.
Coming in second is Tim Allen, renowned for his role as Scott Calvin in the original 1994 version of ‘The Santa Clause’.
David Harbour and Billy Bob Thornton shared the third position for the best Santa’s with an overall score of 50 for their respective roles in ‘Violent Night’ and ‘Bad Santa.’
The results showcase the rankings of various beloved Santas against audience and critic metrics including ‘IMDB rating’, ‘Google Trends’, ‘Box Office Revenue’, ‘Audience Review’, ‘Net Worth Santas’, providing a nostalgic and heartwarming look at the holiday classics.
The research also found that Indiana, known for its basketball and southern sensibilities, is also the most ‘Christmassy’ state in the US according to the data.
Ohio, Kentucky and Utah followed closely behind the state, as a result of their festive nature and mix of Christmas traditions.
Blockbuster Museum Show Breaks Attendance Records . . .
Ben Mankiewicz, the prime-time host of Turner Classic Movies (TCM), greeted hundreds of fans and kicked off a series of Holiday events at the Boca Raton Museum of Art’s nationally acclaimed exhibition “Art of the Hollywood Backdrop,” now in its final five weeks of a spectacular run (on view through Jan. 22).
“I am honored to have been invited by the Boca Raton Museum of Art to be part of the Art of the Hollywood Backdrop, before this stellar museum experience concludes its successful debut,” says Mankiewicz. “There are so many avid film lovers and TCM fans in South Florida who loved seeing this exhibition, a testament to the power of classic Hollywood films.”
Joining Mankiewicz at the Museum event was one of the exhibition’s co-curators, Thomas A. Walsh, the Emmy Award-winning Art Director from Hollywood who served as President of the Art Directors Guild of America for three consecutive terms (the union representing Hollywood’s art directors, set designers and illustrators).
The Boca Raton Museum of Art presents the world premiere of this larger-than-life show, the first dedicated museum exhibition of its kind honoring the unsung heroes of Hollywood’s artistic DNA, going back through time almost 100 years.
“Through this singular exhibition, art lovers and film fans of all ages are embracing this collection of Hollywood backdrops almost lost forever,” says Irvin Lippman, the Museum’s Executive Director. “The world premiere of Art of the Hollywood Backdrop has shined the global spotlight on South Florida. We have seen a significant increase in visitors from throughout the U.S. and abroad.”
Art of the Hollywood Backdrop: Cinema’s Creative Legacy is on view through January 22, 2023 and honors the unsung heroes who created these monumental canvases for the camera, going back almost 100 years.
These are literally some of the largest paintings ever created in the world, similar to cyclorama paintings. Aside from the original cast and crew working in the sound stages when these Hollywood classics were made, no one else has set eyes upon this collection.
The exhibition was originated by the Boca Raton Museum of Art and is co-curated by Thomas A. Walsh and Karen L. Maness, who played pivotal roles among a group of passionate Hollywood insiders to salvage these American treasures.
The result in the Museum’s galleries is a magical portal that takes the terms “large-scale,” “immersive,” and “virtual reality” to a whole new level.
Mankiewicz, an award-winning television personality, film critic, writer and producer, made his TCM debut in 2003 becoming only the second host hired in the network’s history.
During his career at TCM, Mankiewicz has introduced thousands of movies on the air and has become one of the most renowned interviewers in the business, leading thoughtful and entertaining conversations with more than two hundred of the movie industry’s top talents, including Mel Brooks, Bruce Springsteen, Sophia Loren, Martin Scorsese, Warren Beatty, Ava DuVernay, Annette Bening, Robert Redford, Quentin Tarantino, Jodie Foster, Brad Bird, Faye Dunaway, Lou Gossett, Jr., and Michael Douglas.
The Museum has created a series of events for film lovers throughout December and January, more details at bocamuseum.org/visit/events. This exhibition of 22 scenic backdrops, made for the movies between 1938 and 1968, celebrates an art form nearly forgotten.
This is a well-deserved moment in the spotlight for the dozens of unidentified studio artists. Their uncredited craftsmanship made scenes of Mount Rushmore, Ben Hur’s Rome, the Von Trapp Family’s Austrian Alps, and Gene Kelly’s Paris street dance possible.
Art Directors’ Guild Archive Backdrop Recovery Project
Twenty of these backdrops, including the famous Mount Rushmore, are being loaned by the Texas Performing Arts Hollywood Backdrop Collection at the University of Texas.
In addition, a 1952 backdrop for Singin’ in the Rain and the tapestry backdrop for Marie Antoinette (1938) are on loan from the Motion Picture Academy in Los Angeles.
These creations were painted for the camera lens itself, not for the human eye. It is a very impressionistic style of painting ― not really photo-realism, but it snaps together as photo-realistic when viewed from a distance.
Up close they look totally different. When visitors to the Museum take selfies with their phone cameras, the resulting image will look very different from what they see in person in the gallery.
This unique concept of “photo-realism for the camera” was spearheaded by George Gibson, he took scenic art to an entirely new level of artistry. In the hey-day of MGM, they had three shifts of scenic artists working day and night, non-stop.
Some of these artists who created the Hollywood Backdrops came from a family tradition of the craft, with lineages spanning three generations of painters through several decades. The craft stayed within the family.
Most were trained as professional artists, yet they remained uncredited, sometimes because of union agreements, and mainly because the studios wanted to keep a firm grip on the secret techniques that were handed down from master to apprentice on the backlots.
The show’s immersive components include interactive video reels created in Hollywood specifically for this exhibition, telling the stories behind each backdrop.
Soundscapes have been engineered to surround visitors in the museum, including atmospheric sound effects related to the original movies, and to the scenic vistas.
About the Museum
Founded by artists, Boca Raton Museum of Art was established in 1950 as the Art Guild of Boca Raton. The organization has grown, now in its eighth decade, to encompass a Museum, Art School, and Sculpture Garden. As one of South Florida’s leading cultural landmarks, the Museum provides educational programs and a robust exhibition schedule to the community, and to visitors from around the world.
Special guest blogger Michal Laszuk has done an amazing amount of research to put together this fantastic coop on film tourism. Take a look at his post and for more info on Michal, see below.
We’ve all fallen in love with a TV show or movie at least once.
Whether it’s Harry Potter, The Walking Dead, or Breaking Bad, there’s something about getting sucked into a good story that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside.
But—
Did you ever consider traveling to a place you saw on Netflix?
If so, you aren’t alone.
That’s because film tourism (also known as film-induced tourism, screen tourism, and set-jetting) has been all the rave lately, with more and more people planning vacations around their beloved shows and movies.
So at PhotoAiD, we’ve decided to reach out to 1,000+ Americans to unpack their experiences with this phenomenon, their attitudes toward it, and much more.
Let’s dive right in:
Key Takeaways
96% of Americans have visited places associated with their favorite television shows or movies at least once in their lifetime.
78% of travelers are likely or very likely to opt for TV- or movie-themed trips in 2023 and beyond.
The most common reason to engage in film tourism (35%) is to enjoy an immersive experience that lets you live out shows’ or movies’ storylines and follow in the footsteps of famous characters.
Lodging is the most frequently mentioned film tourism expense (60%), followed by transportation (53%) and sightseeing (50%).
Globally, the UK and Ireland are the most desirable screen tourism destinations owing to the success of Harry Potter.
Thanks to the Jurassic Park franchise, Hawaii was picked as the US’ most desirable film tourism destination, according to 31% of respondents.
68% of Americans have a negative or very negative attitude toward fellow travelers striking irreverent poses or otherwise misbehaving when visiting the sites of actual tragic events depicted in shows or movies.
Film Tourism Is Gaining Momentum
For starters, we wanted to gauge the popularity of film tourism in the US at the end of 2022.
It turns out 96% of Americans have visited places associated with their favorite television shows or movies. This includes locations and destinations, popular due to their appearance on TV or themed sites built upon the fictional world.
Wow.
Although we expected the number to be high, we had no idea it’d be THAT high.
It may be because we’re watching more TV than ever before, with the average person likely to stream 437 hours of content in 2023 (=18 full days).
Film Tourism is Gaining Momemtum
Here’s also a look at the extent to which respondents’ favorite movie or show was a reason to visit a particular spot:
For starters, we wanted to gauge the popularity of film tourism in the US at the end of 2022.
It turns out 96% of Americans have visited places associated with their favorite television shows or movies. This includes locations and destinations, popular due to their appearance on TV or themed sites built upon the fictional world.
Wow!
Although we expected the number to be high, we had no idea it’d be THAT high.
It may be because we’re watching more TV than ever before, with the average person likely to stream 437 hours of content in 2023 (=18 full days).
Here’s also a look at the extent to which respondents’ favorite movie or show was a reason to visit a particular spot:
It was the main reason
44%
It had some influence
39%
It had no influence
17%
At this point, we also decided to ask survey takers to rate their most recent screen tourism experience.
So—
About four in 10 Americans (42%) consider it positive, and 31% describe it as very positive. As a follow-up, we asked respondents how likely they are to pick one of their next vacation destinations based on their favorite TV show or movie in 2023 and beyond.
The results are in:
Likely
45%
Very likely
33%
Neutral
16%
Very unlikely
5%
Unlikely
2%
As you can see, 78% of Americans are likely or very likely to opt for TV- or movie-themed trips in the upcoming years.
Thus, it’s not surprising that companies like Airbnb and Netflix have already started to capitalize on the opportunity.
The former has launched thematic accommodation options based on Scooby Doo, Moulin Rouge, and Queer Eye. In turn, Netflix partnered with the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) to “help destinations realize the potential benefits of screen tourism.”
Even governmental bodies aren’t lagging.
In fact, the official “Visit Albuquerque” site makes it easy for Breaking Bad fans to plan location tours and visit popular spots, such as Los Pollos Hermanos, Walter White’s house, and the car wash.
That shows just how much the likes of HBO and Apple TV are changing the tourism industry and travelers’ habits.
Scroll on to see what’s fueling this trend.
Key Reasons to Engage in Screen Tourism
People travel for all sorts of reasons.
Some want to check off their travel bucket list. Others are looking to dive under the radar and escape it all.
Yet—
When it comes to film tourism, here are the TOP five motivators, according to our respondents (the text version is below, just in case):
To emotionally immerse oneself in a place where the TV show/movie was filmed
35%
To experience the city’s scenery shown in the movie or TV show
34.9%
To visit restaurants featured in the movie or TV show
34.4%
To discover a meaningful place with a story rather than visit a trendy destination
33.9%
To visit a location one’s admired celebrity has once been to
33.6%
The data shows that the most common reason to engage in film tourism (35%) is to enjoy an immersive experience that lets you live out your favorite shows’ or movies’ storylines and follow in the footsteps of famous characters.
It’s closely followed by the desire “to experience the city’s scenery shown in the movie or TV show” at 34.9% and to visit depicted restaurants, as 34.4% of respondents indicated.
These make sense, particularly if you consider TV shows.
Their slow-paced plot progression, long runtime, and character development often foster a deep connection between the viewer and the story.
So—
It’s no wonder many people want to go and see the spots on their own.
Top Film Tourism Destinations, Ranked
So far, so good.
Now that we’ve answered some of the why questions, let’s move on to the where part.
To uncover the most desirable film tourism destinations in North America, we gave respondents a list of places famous because of a movie or TV show and asked them to indicate which one was their favorite OR which they’d like to visit the most.
Below are the results:
Jurassic Park (Hawaii)
30.6%
Friends (NYC, New York)
30.5%
Joker [2019] (NYC, New York)
28.6%
Home Alone 2 (NYC, New York)
27.9%
Big Little Lies (Monterey, California)
25%
Thanks to the Jurassic Park franchise, Hawaii was picked as the most desirable film tourism destination in the US, according to 30.6% of respondents.
How does it translate into real numbers?
Consider this:
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom alone has given Hawaii’s economy a $31M boost and more than $6.9M in wages to 1,200+ Hawaii workers.
So you could say the movie has had a T-Rex-sized impact on the islands.
Now—
We also wanted to unveil the most desirable screen tourism destinations globally. Like last time, we gave respondents a hefty list of places and prompted them to make a pick.
See the TOP five results below:
Harry Potter (UK, Ireland)
20.2%
The Lord of the Rings (New Zealand)
18.1%
Game of Thrones (Northern Ireland, UK, Croatia)
17%
Squid Game (South Korea)
16.7%
Sherlock (UK)
15.9%
The UK and Ireland took the cake as the most desirable screen tourism destinations globally (20.2%), thanks to Harry Potter. It’s followed by New Zealand courtesy of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Northern Ireland, the UK, and Croatia close the top three owing to Game of Thrones’ success.
Needless to say, all the destinations saw a significant, lasting increase in demand after said movies and TV shows came out.
To this day, tourists take photos at London King’s Cross railway station, famous for featuring a fictional section known as platform 9¾ in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
Biggest Expenses Associated with Screen Tourism
Travel isn’t exactly cheap these days.
A pilot shortage, COVID-19-induced demand for travel, and higher fuel prices have all contributed to the recent rise in tourism costs.
So much so that ~9 in 10 vacation-goers (88%) had to downgrade their vacation plans in 2022, according to one of our recent studies.
That’s why we wanted to ask the respondents about their biggest expenses regarding film tourism.
Below are the results:
Lodging
60%
Transportation
53%
Sightseeing
50%
As you can see, lodging was the most frequently mentioned expense (60%), followed by transportation (53%) and sightseeing (50%).
So—
If you plan to fly thousands of miles to get epic Instagram snaps from Squid Game in South Korea, be prepared to open your wallet a little wider.
The Dark Side of Film Tourism
It’s no secret:
Many popular movies and TV shows depict or are based on true events. As a result, some locations can grow popular among travelers.
BBC’s Poldark is a good case in point.
While the series boosted Cornwall’s economy, influencing 14% of all visitors to the county, it also gave rise to the so-called “Poldark effect.”
The phenomenon caused bumper-to-bumper traffic making some communities feel unsafe, and potentially affected the sense of the Cornish identity.
So—
Our study also wanted to see if Americans know that film tourism can cause over-tourism to some of the most in-vogue destinations.
A total of 95% of respondents do.
Although we were pleasantly surprised by such a high number, it’s important to remember that awareness doesn’t always translate into action (after all, the “Poldark effect” came about for a reason).
Now, as our last question, we asked the survey participants about their attitude toward fellow travelers striking irreverent poses or otherwise misbehaving when visiting the sites of actual tragic events featured in a movie or TV show (e.g., Chornobyl).
Below are the results:
Negative
41%
Very negative
27%
Neutral
24%
Positive
5%
Very positive
4%
The takeaway?
Always respect the site’s rules and only take pictures when allowed. Otherwise, you won’t only make others blow a fuse but also give film tourism a bad name.
Stacking It All Up
There you have it.
A comprehensive look at screen tourism to help you stay ahead of the curve.
Now—
Did you ever engage in film tourism? Which TV or movie universe would you want to travel to?
Let us know in the comments below.
Methodology
We conducted an online survey of 1,060 US respondents via a bespoke online polling tool in October 2022.
The respondents were 66.8% male and 33.2% female. 7.6% of respondents were 25 or younger, 70.01% were aged 26–38, 17.1% were aged 39–54, and 5.2% were 55 or older.
This survey has a confidence level of 95% and a margin of error of 3%. Given the gender and age makeup of our sample size, the study’s findings are statistically significant for the population at large.
This study was created through multiple research steps, crowdsourcing, and surveying. Data scientists reviewed all survey participants’ responses for quality control. The survey also had an attention-check question.
About Michal Laszuk
Michal Laszuk is a writer at PhotoAiD by day, an aspiring novelist and an avid traveler by night. Always eager to travel to the most underrated and less popular destinations, he now looks to the far east after seeing almost everything Europe has to offer.
One of the wonders of New York City is the constant discovery of hidden treasures. And so it was when we came across the Katharine Hepburn Garden, a small fenced wonder of brilliant hydrangeas, viburnums, Mountain Laurel, dogwoods, flowering perennials, and groundcovers bordering the narrow pathways of this tiny garden. Located in the Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, the several times I’ve been there, the gates been unlocked and I’ve wondered through this delightful hidden-in-plain-spot in the city. Hepburn, the noted actress who delighted audiences for decades, loved gardening as the text, part of Parks’ Historical Signs Project, that’s a posted within the park, tells us. But it doesn’t mention Hepburn’s penchant for making brownies and I’m sharing the recipe here as well.
From the Park’s sign:
Katharine Hepburn was born on May 12, 1907, in Hartford, Connecticut. She graduated from Bryn Mawr College in 1928 and in the same year she made her professional debut in a minor role in a Baltimore stock company production of Czarina. By 1932 she was a star on Broadway in The Warrior’s Husband, followed in the same year by her screen debut opposite John Barrymore in A Bill of Divorcement. On Broadway Ms. Hepburn originated the Tracy Lord role inThe Philadelphia Story(1939) before taking it to Hollywood a year later. In 1942 she starred opposite Spencer Tracy in Woman of the Year and began a twenty-five year relationship which included working on nine classic films.
Acting Kudos
Ms. Hepburn won numerous honors for her acting. She was nominated for twelve Academy Awards and garnered four Oscars for best actress. In 1962 Ms. Hepburn won the best actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for her performance in Long Day’s Journey Into Night. In the 1970s she worked in television, where she and co-star Laurence Olivier earned Emmys for Love Among the Ruins.
Hepburn was passionate about flowers and gardening beginning during her childhood in West Hartford. On Sunday afternoons the Hepburn family went for drives and walks in the hills west of the Connecticut River and during these country excursions that children competed to see who could spot the first Lily of the Valley, Bloodroot, Columbine, or Pink Lady’s Slipper.
When Ms. Hepburn moved to Turtle Bay with her husband Ludlow Ogden Smith in 1932, she transplanted wildflowers from her parents’ home to her backyard garden. She joined the Turtle Bay Association in 1957, and for more than thirty years she fought to halt the destruction of trees, to defend the sidewalks from encroaching development, and to protect mid-blocks from high-rise construction.
Garden Dedication
On May 12, 1997 community members gathered to dedicate the Katharine Hepburn Garden in Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza. The naming pays tribute to her lifelong love of flowers and gardening and thanks Ms. Hepburn for her commitment to the park and the neighborhood. A wide variety of species were used in the border planting. The plant list included birch, dawn redwood, and dogwood trees; mountain laurel, witch hazel, viburnum, rhododendron, hydrangea, and abelia; as well as numerous perennials, groundcovers, and ferns.
Katharine Hepburn’s Brownies, recipe courtesy of the New York Times.
½cup cocoa
½cup butter (1 stick)
2eggs
1cup sugar
¼cup flour
1cup chopped or broken-up walnuts or pecans
1teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
Heat oven to 325 degrees.
Melt butter in saucepan with cocoa and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, nuts and salt. Add to the cocoa-butter mixture. Stir until just combined.
Pour into a greased 8 x 8-inch-square pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Do not overbake; the brownies should be gooey. Let cool, then cut into bars.
This famous recipe makes a rich, gooey brownie as it only uses one-fourth cup of flour.
Mindy Kaling, Amazon Publishing, and Amazon Studios just announced the launch of Mindy’s Book Studio, a boutique story studio that will publish books selected by Kaling from emerging and established diverse voices.
Mindy Kaling and Emma Thompson in Late Night.
“I had the best time working on Nothing Like I Imagined, and I am so excited to continue my relationship with Amazon,” said Kaling, about her last book, a collection of essays in which she reflected upon her new role as single mom, the perks of not having a husband, and her struggle with social anxiety. While dealing with all this, Kaling gets Kanye West’d (or should we now say Ye’d) at her best friend’s birthday, thwarts an “only in LA” crime, and learns what it means to have it all.
Starting later this year, Mindy’s Book Studio will be publishing books across genres, from fresh romantic comedies and poignant coming-of-age stories designed to make readers laugh—and cringe—to gripping dramas with unforgettable female protagonists.
Kaling, a multi-talented actress, comedienne, writer, and Hollywood-bruncher, is known for her insightful and hilarious books including Why Not Me and the delightful and upfront personal Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (And Other Concerns). She currently has 11.6 million Twitter followers.
The partnership between Amazon Studios and Kaling will adapt material published under Mindy’s Book Studio as feature motion pictures which will exclusively stream on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. Kaling holds first-producer option on adaptations. Kaling has also signed her debut novel and new essay collection for publication with Amazon Publishing.
“I’m passionate about bringing unique stories to readers and viewers, and I can’t wait to help discover and support talented new voices through Mindy’s Book Studio,” she says.
From best-selling memoirs to some of television’s most beloved shows and characters, Kaling has entertained readers, viewers, and listeners alike for nearly two decades. Building on her relatable and hilarious take on love and relationships—as seen in her Amazon Charts best-selling essay collection Nothing Like I Imagined (Except for Sometimes) and Amazon Studios’ hit film Late Night (which she co-wrote, produced, and starred in)—Mindy’s Book Studio will expand Kaling’s beloved storytelling sensibilities to a new slate of juicy, unforgettable books that readers can access through subscription programs such as Kindle Unlimited, and in print and audio.
“We are delighted to work with Mindy and Amazon Studios on Amazon’s first-ever book studio,” said Julia Sommerfeld, publisher of Amazon Publishing. “Mindy is brilliant at bringing to life highly entertaining, funny, sharp, and bingeable stories, and we can’t wait to collaborate with her on discovering and championing must-read stories from new and diverse voices.”
“With her visionary voice, trademark wit, and tremendous artistic acumen, Mindy Kaling remains a relentless innovator in the creative community,” said Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios. “She is a pioneering artist, remarkable role model, and philanthropist who continues to tap into global and cultural zeitgeists as a source for her refreshingly authentic storytelling. We could not be more thrilled to expand our collaboration with her across Amazon to not only showcase her incredible talents but also introduce new, dynamic storytellers to our global customers.”
Kaling is represented by 3 Arts Entertainment, CAA, The Lede Company, and PJ Shapiro. Sommerfeld, Lauren O’Connor, head of IP & literary acquisitions at Amazon Studios, and Carmen Johnson, editorial director of Mindy’s Book Studio, will work with Kaling to find unputdownable stories with the potential to come to life on the screen.
In 2023, Amazon Publishing will also publish Kaling’s debut novel, a comedic and twisty page-turner under Mindy’s Book Studio. In 2024, Amazon Publishing will publish a new collection of personal essays in print, digital, and audio, offering Kaling’s latest reflections on life, motherhood, friendship, and being a boss. Amazon Studios has acquired firFst-look rights for Kaling’s forthcoming novel and essay collection.
