It appears that movies filmed in Britain have an impact on the British economy; tourism. These visitors are boosting the British economy to the tune of £1.8bn, according to a new report, "Stately Attraction: How Film and Television Programs Promote Tourism in the UK", published today. It seems gone are the days when tourist would stick to the historical locations in London such as Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, or Big Ben.
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From Highland landscapes made famous in Trainspotting to the platforms of Kings' Cross station used in the Harry Potter series, tourists are lining up to have their photographs taken at their favourite locations. And the UK Film Council claims this growing band of "film tourists" accounts for one in 10 of the visitors that come to the UK on holiday.
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Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, northern England, which masquerades as Hogwarts - the school at which the bespectacled boy wizard Harry Potter learns how to cast spells - saw a 120 per cent increase in visitor numbers following the release of the first film in the series. The report's authors estimate that the movie franchise brought about nine million pounds ($21 million) to the area.
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King's Cross station, meanwhile, has erected a plaque marking "Platform nine and three quarters" in response to the huge visitor demand to know where schoolchildren heading for the Hogwarts school depart.
You can read more about the study on these websites:
The Independent and
ABC News