LONDON - For tourism chiefs eager to entice "set-jetters" to Britain, Harry Potter offers the ideal location vacation -- and the latest book and film look certain to stoke renewed Pottermania.
The teenage wizard certainly knows how to wave his magic wand over cathedrals, colleges and castles. Being featured in a Potter movie is a ticket to tourist success.
"The right film can be a giant advert -- seen by millions of people -- for the unique appeal of a destination," said Tom Wright, chief executive of VisitBritain.
"We estimate around one in five of Britain's international visitors are inspired to come here by the images they see in movies or on TV," he said.
The tourist industry was so grateful that it even awarded an outstanding achievement "Oscar" to Harry.
For tours inspired by movie and TV locations -- known in the trade as "set-jetting" -- are enjoying a boom.
"The Lord of the Rings" gave New Zealand tourism a massive fillip after the fantasy trilogy was set there. From Indiana Jones to Elvis Presley, Hawaii proved a perfect backdrop.
The global success of Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" gave specialist tour operators a big boost in Britain -- but nothing matches Potter's longevity.
ATTRACTIONS
J.K Rowling's final book in the wizard saga comes out next month just after the latest Potter movie.
"Our tours tend to peak just before another Potter book or film comes out. Then people go bananas (crazy) for Potter," said Jason Doll-Steinberg, marketing manager at British Tours Ltd whose summer bookings are on the rise again.
"Films really are a great advert for the country. It was a real shame 'The Lord of the Rings' was not shot here. New Zealand benefited from a British phenomenon."
He is bombarded with calls from historic attractions asking to be included in specialist tours and "My advice always is -- get into the next Potter blockbuster and you will be laughing."
Sites selected for the films certainly hit the jackpot.
At Alnwick Castle, Britain's largest inhabited castle after Windsor Castle, Philippa Pendrich said "We have done very well thank you."
At the castle used for exterior shots in the movies, she said "Pre-Potter we had about 68,000 visitors a season. Last year we had about 195,000."
At Christ Church, one of Oxford University's most famous colleges, head custodian Tony Fox said "It has improved our economy no end, boosting revenue by 50 percent."
"In pre-Potter days you would sit around for hours on end and get no one in," he said of the dining hall used as the Great Hall in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Gloucester Cathedral feels equally blessed.
"We could potentially attribute 50,000 people over a couple of years to Potter," said chapter steward Mark Beckett.
And no corner of Potter's magical world is overlooked.
King's Cross Station in London even erected a "photo opportunity" plaque for Platform Nine and a Half where Harry boards the school train to Hogwarts.
一季度雅思阅读出题分析
雅思考生阅读考试主要问题解析
轻松拿下雅思阅读七分:系统制定学习计划
名师解读雅思阅读加分法宝:快速阅读
雅思阅读:做题顺序有讲究
雅思阅读真题题源 :Music and the Mind
雅思阅读部分出题四大趋势及备考策略
雅思阅读模拟试题(三)(附答案)
雅思阅读题十大出题规则大揭秘
如何快速提高雅思阅读成绩
雅思阅读实战训练模拟试题(三)
雅思备考:如何在阅读中借鉴写作思路
王楠楠:雅思阅读中独立主格的构成类型和语法功
破解雅思阅读八大题型的审题障碍
克服雅思阅读的时间障碍:掌握答题技巧
名师指点雅思阅读兵法:符号有玄机
雅思阅读如何应对乱序与同义转换
雅思阅读实战训练模拟试题(十二)
雅思阅读应注意同义词的积累
雅思阅读考试复习指南(4)
雅思阅读实战训练模拟试题(十一)
雅思阅读:正确选择中心词
十四种阅读题型做题技巧--全文主旨题
雅思阅读实战训练模拟试题(七)
雅思阅读难句讲解:插入结构(上)
雅思阅读模拟试题(二)(附答案)
如何稳拿雅思阅读七分:加快速度控制时间
雅思阅读重在把握文章脉络
解决雅思阅读的两大杀招
雅思阅读考试基本信息介绍
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |