Tourism Northern Ireland has launched a new illustrated visitors’ map which highlights film and TV locations around the region.
The new SCENic Route map references 20 locations where many of Northern Ireland’s much-loved shows were filmed, including Derry Girls, Hope Street, Line of Duty, The School of Good & Evil and The Frankenstein Chronicles.
The map, which is available in hard copy from Visitor Information Centres or can be downloaded from discovernorthernireland.com, was launched during an event at the Game of Thrones Studio Tour in Banbridge, where fans of the hit TV series can enjoy an unforgettable behind-the-scenes look at the world of Westeros.
The launch of the map comes at a time when`set-jetting’ – a travel trend where travellers visit real-life locations featured in films and television shows – continues to rise in popularity.
Recent research from Visit Britain found that seven out of 10 people visiting the UK have gone to see a filming location, while nine out of 10 people said they would be motivated to visit a location that they had seen on screen.
At the map launch, a panel discussion explored the current strength of screen production, the growing trend of screen tourism and the Northern Ireland offer.
Those who took part in the panel included Eimear Callaghan, Head of Experience and Industry Development at Tourism NI, Nicola Lyons, Head of Production at NI Screen, Sam Harding, Managing Director at the Game of Thrones Studio Tour, Alison Morris, Operations Manager at the Tower Museum in Derry, where the Derry Girls Experience is currently on display.
The event was also attended by Co Antrim-born actor Seamus O’Hara, star of Oscar-winning film An Irish Goodbye, as well as Game of Thrones and BAFTA-winning drama, Blue Lights.
Speaking about the potential of screen tourism, Seamus said: “I love working in Northern Ireland, to be able to work so much, right on my own doorstep is a privilege.
“Whether it’s the Glens of Antrim, Mourne or Sperrin Mountains, the Ards Peninsula, Derry’s Walls or Fermanagh’s caves, this place has more stories than we could ever begin to tell”.
Eimear Callaghan, Head of Experience & Industry Development at Tourism NI, said: “Screen tourism is very much a part of our tourism strategy as we seek to enhance our destination appeal with the creation of authentic experiences right across the north.
“In turn, this supports jobs and generates revenue for both local and national economy, sustaining a viable visitor economy.
‘The SCENEic Route will offer inspiration for our visitors to explore, not just our cities, but our rural and coastal screen locations throughout the year.”
She added: “It can also be used as a resource for tourism providers to create new experiences that will encourage the visitor to extend their stay and discover our people, our places and our incredible stories linked to their favourite TV show or movie”.
