Nostalgia and imagination are attracting people to a new niche market in tourism, but cold hard facts and plenty of analysis is what has helped two researchers from The University of Queensland write about the phenomenon with considerable success.
Bronwyn Jewell and Susan McKinnon from UQ's School of Tourism have written about movie tourism in the Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing, earning them one of only five nominations for a prestigious Martin Oppermann Memorial Award.
The Best Article of the Year Award is judged on originality of concepts, sophistication of methodology, clarity of writing and overall contribution to the field of travel.
Ms McKinnon has contributed more than just the article to the field of travel, herself becoming a movie tourist, with visits two locations.
"I have, since writing the article, visited set sites for Lord of the Rings and Wolverine, including Mt Doom at Tongariro National Park in New Zealand,'' she said.
"I now watch at the end of each movie to identify where the movie was shot as opposed to where it was set.''
The two researchers found tourists were increasingly visiting the sites used for movies, much like they used to visit settings from books.
"While the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter movies have shown to be global major box office successes, the same can be said for New Zealand and United Kingdom tourist visitor numbers,'' their article said.
Tourist visits to Harry Potter movie locations had increased since the release of the first movie, with most recording an increase in numbers of 50 per cent, the article said.
"Although people have travelled due to novels they have read or historical occurrences, it would appear that movies based on these aspects have increased visitation.
"It would seem that movie tourism could be a new form of cultural landscape. Over time the appeal of destinations has grown and altered from the preconception that movies portray to audiences.
"It could further be perceived that movie tourism is connected to nostalgia and identity. A yearning for what life was or should be like, creating identities within historical settings, imaginary and factual.''
The nominated paper mentioned the popularity among tourists of buildings, landscapes and scenery used in the blockbuster movies The Da Vinci Code, Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Amelie, Moulin Rouge and The Bridges of Madison County.
"The number of movie-going patrons generating the substantial box office receipts in the top 10 films accounts for the substantial increases in visitors to movies' film locations.''
The two researchers said they came up with the topic when they heard Jackie Chan was going to be the guest speaker at the International Conference on Impact of Movies and Television on Tourism in Hong Kong.
Ms Jewell said being nominated for the Martin Oppermann Memorial Award was an honour.
"I was surprised and excited to find that our paper had been nominated for the award as we had written it for pure enjoyment,'' she said.
"To be nominated for the award which is in memory of an internationally recognised prolific Australian researcher was an honour.''
The award is conferred every year as a tribute to the late Dr Martin Oppermann to promote excellence in tourism research.
The two researchers have not yet heard if they have been successful.
Media: Erik de Wit (Communication officer, UQ School of Tourism) on 0417 088 772.
