Conclusion—Critical Discussion and Limitations
This paper has reviewed existing literature and case studies in order to highlight the current state of research by taking a broad brush through the definitions of film tourism as well as related concepts and film tourist motivation and typologies, identifying some areas that are still begging for more detailed research. While much investigation into this topic has been carried out recently and is still to follow, current academic literature is yet scattered and currently only one book is available on this topic. The phenomenon is approached from various angles within tourism—mostly focusing on tourist motivation, consumption and behaviour or marketing. It has been highlighted that much focus is still on the tourism side—taking film (and wider communication or media) studies into account in research could shed further light on the issue of understanding this concept. Alternative research disciplines such as geography, sociology, cultural studies and arguably most importantly film studies could further help us with the investigation of film tourism. What this paper has found is that there are still many gaps in the research into film tourism, consequently hindering the successful planning for sustainable film tourism. Film tourism planning has not received much attention, and while film tourism has been treated as the new market opportunity for many (new or existing) destinations, not many have questioned the sustainability of this type of tourism. Does film tourism deserve its own planning agenda? Having identified that films as part of the media are an extension of our individual (and tourists’) worldview but does not create a new one, maybe film tourism should not be considered in its own right. Film could be taken as a trigger for the type of tourism that it stands for. If Braveheart put Scotland’s highlands and Lord of the Rings put New Zealand’s natural scenery on the map, did it just encourage the nature tourist? Slumdog Millionaire attracts slum tourism—if people go to see a social drama (albeit fictional), then their interest in this type of movie is extended through their tourist consumption and behaviour. The primary role that film plays in tourism motivation has been discussed widely, but yet there is no holistic understanding of film tourism. Even if we consider film tourism in its own right, the various roles that stakeholders play in the planning process as highlighted in the preceding discussion show that there is potential for conflicting relationships due to the different levels of power and interest in the
Film Tourism Planning and Development 43
development process. As sustainable tourism planning and development suggests the involvement of all stakeholders, the film industry plays a vital part of this process. However, the film industry is the involuntary stakeholder—it has a different agenda and is not too concerned about the tourism consequences of their filming once they have left the location. As yet there is only limited evidence that the film industry has recognised the potential value of working together with tourism in order to establish a mutual beneficial relationship. To what extent such a relationship would be beneficial or more of a burden is yet to be researched. Finally, the sustainability of film tourism has not been investigated in any detail. If there is evidence to suggest that the film industry is to play a significant part in the tourism planning process, the integration of all stakeholders in the development process could safeguard the sustainable management of the tourism product. Similarly, if we take the argument that films trigger existing types of tourism, then existing good practice from these arenas can be taken into account. With good management practices communities can actively participate and be involved in the process, and impacts on the physical environment can be kept to the minimum. However, there is one variable within the film planning process that is beyond control and which impacts significantly on the economic sustainability and overall success of the film tourism product—the success of the film. Through developing a film tourism product, this tourism product will automatically and intrinsically be linked to the success of the film. Large-scale commercial movies such as Lord of the Rings have shown that the impacts in general are positive and varied. Following Ritchie’s (1984) comparison of films as mega events, the planning process has to be adapted to the event planning process. However, even multiple releases and re-releases cannot guarantee continuous success of the tourism product. Just as tourism, film is for entertainment purposes and within a postmodern world, entertainment is becoming increasingly short-lived and more volatile to consumer behaviour than ever before, thereby challenging film tourism right from the beginning.