Student name: Isa Neves

RUN-EU institution: Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest, Ireland

Abstract

Film tourism is increasingly used as a tool for captivating and attracting tourists to destinations, creating socio-cultural, economic, and environmental impacts on localities and residents (Hudson & Ritchie, 2006; Jani & Mwakyusa, 2021). It is viewed as a catalyst for economic growth and image change and although tourism planners have limited control over the content of the films produced in respective destinations and how destinations are portrayed in films, the imaginary and visual representations of destinations, negative or distorted from their original identities, are still useful in promoting tourist destinations (Liu et al, 2020). Busby & Klug (2001) refer to increased revenue generation, visitor flows, multiplier effects, infrastructure development, and improved destination image as some potential positive impacts of film tourism. However, Yoon and Kim (2015) discussed the potential negative impacts on communities and the environment such as increased traffic, insufficient parking, disruption to lifestyle and loss of privacy. In light of this, this research sets forth to establish how film tourism can be used by destination planners as a sustainable and creative tool for destination competitiveness and resilience. It aims to do this by comparatively examining Ireland and Portugal in order to determine the priority placed on film tourism development and marketing by destination planners. It also sets forth to examine perceptions of communities from film tourism locations on the impacts of film tourism given that community support is incremental for ongoing tourism development.

References

Busby, G., & Klug, J. (2001). Movie-induced tourism: The challenge of measurement and other issues. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 7(4), 316–332. https://doi.org/10.1177/135676670100700403.

Hudson, S., & Ritchie, J. R. B. (2006). Promoting destinations via film tourism: An empirical identification of supporting marketing initiatives. Journal of Travel Research, 44(4), 387–396. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287506286720.

Jani, D., & Mwakyusa, J. R. P. (2021). Residents’ perception of festival impacts and satisfaction: a focus on Zanzibar international film festival (ZIFF). International Journal of Event and Festival Management, 12(4), 365–379. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEFM-02-2021-0022.

Liu, Y., Chin, W. L., Nechita, F., & Candrea, A. N. (2020). Framing film-induced tourism into a sustainable perspective from Romania, Indonesia and Malaysia. Sustainability (Switzerland), 12(23), 1–30. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12239910.

Yoon, Y., Kim, S., & Kim, S. (2015). Successful and unsuccessful film tourism destinations: From the perspective of korean local residents’ perceptions of film tourism impacts. Tourism Analysis, 20(3), 297–311. https://doi.org/10.3727/108354215X14356694891852.