"You’ve Seen the Films, Now Visit the Set"

Films and TV shows don't only bring production jobs and business to Hawaii, they also bring tourists. Hit shows and films are particularly good at generating tourism. Take "Lost," for example: Over 17 million people watched last week's episode--that's 17 million people checking out our beautiful beaches and vegetation. Not to mention, "Lost" has been splattered all over the media, often in photo spreads that have Hawaii as a backdrop. Actors from "Lost" have appeared on the covers of and inside Entertainment Weekly, TV Guide, Spin, People, Us Weekly, and GQ, to name just a few national magazines that boast millions of subscribers. Though it's difficult to measure the direct effect of all this publicity and promotion on Hawaii tourism, it's a no-brainer that it would inspire people to come visit the islands.

Even the U.S. Commerce Department recognizes the emotional impact of films and TV shows. That's why at the end of last year, the Department launched an integrated tourism marketing campaign in the UK with the theme, "You’ve Seen the Films, Now Visit the Set." TV ads and outdoor billboards featuring films such as Maid in Manhattan, Chicago, L.A. Story, Sweet Home Alabama, Viva Las Vegas, and our very own Blue Crush aimed to get UK tourists to visit the "famous" locales where these films were shot.

Even New York City has gotten in on the integrated film-tourism marketing act. Last year, the city introduced a "Made in NY" co-branded ad program, which connects locally-produced films and TV shows to their NY location.

>> To lure British tourists to the United States after 9/11, marketers turn to the cinema [NY Times, 12/15/04]

>> U.S. Department of Commerce Unveils New Integrated Tourism Marketing Campaign for UK [Dept of Commerce]

>> Made in New York Incentive Program [NYC's MOFTB]