“The Power of that Fan Base is Really Strong, and it’s Something we are Encouraging Tourism Businesses to See”: The Economic, Individual, and Civic Values of Fan-Created Screen Tourism Content

Abstract: Media tourism has grown in popularity over the last twenty years as international productions and streaming services showcase a range of locations to a global audience. Recognizing the draw of filming locations, governments, tourism agencies, and destination management organizations have actively encouraged “set-jetters” and have directed funding toward the maintenance and promotion of screen tourism locations. Industry and media reports have also highlighted the economic impact of media tourism. Tourism agencies and studios are beginning to understand the role that fan-created content can play in marketing screen tourism locations, but they remain focused on the economic value. Drawing on questionnaires completed by fans who have visited filming locations across the globe; interviews with stakeholders involved in screen tourism locations, including Portmeirion ( The Prisoner ), Holmfirth ( Last of the Summer Wine ), and Edinburgh ( Harry Potter ); and fieldwork undertaken at six sites of screen tourism in the United Kingdom, this article considers the multiple values of fan-created screen tourism content. I argue that other values are also added through fan-created screen tourism content, including personal and civic values that are no less important to the fans and communities linked to these locations.