Can you imagine that 30 years ago Notting Hill was just a random district in London with very few visitors and even less significance? After the release of the hit rom-com “Notting Hill”, the district transformed and became a hub for tourists who want to visit the famous “blue door” (the entrance to Hugh Grant’s character’s flat), and the traveler bookshop. But why is this happening? Why do people have the desire to take a picture in front of a door? Research shows that seeing a certain place on the screen as part of a story they love makes people feel personally connected to it, especially when that story is tied to a fandom they belong to. Certain people also feel nostalgic towards the place and want to live part of the story. This article will present a few of the most famous locations and reveal how cinema has the power to reshape real-world destinations by turning ordinary places into cultural landmarks for millions of travelers.
The aforementioned Notting Hill neighborhood in London is one of the most prominent examples of media tourism. As the neighborhood is featured prominently in the iconic 1999 British movie, it has become a symbol of love and romance. Fans of the movie flock to the blue door, hoping to put themselves in the shoes of Julia Roberts walking into a bookstore and falling in love with its owner, who just happens to look like Hugh Grant. As it presents an idealized world of pastel houses, love across social divides, and cozy bookshops, the film acts as free advertising for destinations, adding new meanings and changing perspectives of a seemingly ordinary neighborhood. However, as a result of the movie’s popularity, housing prices in the district significantly increased and some of the local residents were displaced. Locals have also complained about crowds gathering to snap photos outside private homes; some residents even painted their houses black to deter influencers. A local resident said tourists now block the street daily, making it “almost impossible to reach your own front door.” The source of fascination for tourists only frustrates the locals. Notting Hill shows that film tourism is never just about visiting a place, it is about chasing a feeling. The same phenomenon can be seen in destinations as far apart as the sunny Greek islands of “Mamma Mia!”
The Greek island of Skopelos was once a quiet and relatively unknown spot in the Aegean Sea, but it experienced a remarkable transformation after the release of Mamma Mia! (2008). The movie’s sunny beaches, white chapels, and turquoise waters created a fantasy of “carefree” island life. What was once a local fishing community suddenly became known as the“Mamma Mia island.” Tourism data show that Greece had an estimated 12–14% increase in visitors to the film’s shooting locations after the movie’s release. Skopelos also became one of the most searched and hashtagged film locations online and was ranked among the “Top 10 Most Popular Movie Locations to Visit.” Locals and hotels reported high numbers of travelers that wanted to visit theAgios Ioannis Chapel, where the wedding scene was filmed. But it wasn’t just the scenery that drew people in – it was the story. The film’s iconic moments such as Donna (Meryl Streep) and her friends singing “Dancing Queen” as they run down the pier, or Sophie’s wedding near the endless blue sea, embodied a sense of freedom, joy and carelessness. These scenes offered audiences an escape into an idyllic world where life felt simple. The movie serves as an effective advertisement for Greece. It sells not just scenery but also a feeling of joy, freedom, and romance.
Harry Potter did the same for the Scottish Highlands. The franchise transformed parts of Scotland into a living fantasyland for millions of fans. The Glenfinnan Viaduct stands out for its sweeping arches, which became instantly recognizable as the route of the Hogwarts Express. Each year, thousands of fans board the real-life Jacobite Steam Train from Fort William to Mallaig, hoping to recreate Harry’s magical journey to Hogwarts. Film tourism linked to Harry Potter contributes tens of millions of pounds to the national economy every year. However, according to Financial Times this has led to overcrowding and traffic problems that are frustrating local residents even almost 20 years later after the release of the movies. Yet for fans, Scotland offers something deeper than just scenic beauty. It represents a feeling of belonging to a world of magic and an escape from the real world. From the misty lochs to the dramatic highlands, the real landscapes together with cinematic imagination turn the country into a bridge between fantasy and reality.
When Peter Jackson chose New Zealand as the setting for The Lord of the Rings, he inadvertently transformed New Zealand into the mythical realm of Middle-earth for generation upon generation of fantasy lovers. Between 2000 and 2006, international visitor numbers rose by nearly 50%, and “Middle-earth” became an official marketing brand for the country. Fans from across the globe travel to Matamata, where the Hobbiton set was preserved as a permanent attraction. As cultural scholars note, film tourists often “seek to relive their favorite movie scenes,” and transform these landscapes into “spaces of performance and memory.”
Few productions have sparked people’s imagination in the way HBO’s Game of Thrones did. Dubrovnik, Croatia, became synonymous with King’s Landing, and the city’s tourism rose by more than 10% annually during the show’s premiere. However, the city’s transformation into a fantasy capital did not only bring economic benefits, but also serious challenges related to overtourism. As the show grew in popularity, more and more cruise ships and fan tours crowded its narrow streets. The tourists interested in the Game of Thrones location became so overwhelming that local authorities introduced strict visitor limits and reduced the number of cruises by half. The city strives to continue to balance its new fame with the preservation of its cultural heritage. All in all, the series has undoubtedly altered the perception of the beautiful city and turned it into another escape from reality and a place where fans can reconnect with the show.
From London’s pastel streets to Greece’s cliffs, from the Shire’s rolling hills to Dubrovnik’s stone walls, film has the power to rewrite geography and to turn real places into living myths. Whether it is romance, adventure, or fantasy, what draws people to these sites is not just the view but the emotion attached to it. Different types of films shape travel desires in different ways: romantic comedies turn ordinary neighborhoods into symbols of love and intimacy, musicals sell stories of freedom and joy, while fantasy and adventure franchises transform entire countries into imagined worlds. What draws people to these sites is not just the view but the feeling. Yet this cinematic magic comes with a price. The same films that bring global fame can overwhelm small communities, increase housing prices, and change the lives of the locals. For visitors, movie tourism is an escape into fiction but for residents, it can mean losing the quiet reality they once knew. Ultimately, cinema tourism captures the double edge of storytelling. Films can also romanticize or commercialize real places and impact them in a negative way. As audiences continue to travel in search of stories they love, the real obstacle lies in balancing imagination with responsibility. Films give us worlds to dream about, and tourism allows us to step inside them. However, how we step inside matters just as much as the stories that invite us there.
Bibliography:
Anas, B. (2025, January 23). Movie tourism: How the film industry impacts travel. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/brittanyanas/2025/01/22/how-movie-tourism-and-film-industry-impacts-travel/
Dyah. (2024, August 30). 21 iconic filming locations to visit worldwide. Your Guide to the World of Non-Standard Group Travel. https://www.joinmytrip.com/blog/en/filming-locations-to-visit-worldwide/
Cover Image: Agios Ioannis Chapelin Skopelos, Greece
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