From Blockbuster to Neighbourhood Buster: The Effect of Films on Barcelona

Eva Martin-Fuentes, Jorge Nieto Ferrando, Estela Marine-Roig and Berta Ferrer-Rosell
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Eva Martin-Fuentes: Department of Business Administration, University of Lleida, 25001 Lleida, Spain
Jorge Nieto Ferrando: Department of Catalan Philology and Communication, University of Lleida, 25003 Lleida, Spain
Estela Marine-Roig: Department of Business Administration, University of Lleida, 25001 Lleida, Spain
Berta Ferrer-Rosell: Department of Business Administration, University of Lleida, 25001 Lleida, Spain

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 6, 1-16

Abstract: In recent years, cities such as Venice, Dubrovnik, Paris and Barcelona have experienced an exponential increase in visitor numbers leading to episodes of tourismphobia by anti-tourism movements, or even the decline of the destination. Among other solutions, some destinations see film-induced tourism as a possible way of diversifying tourism supply and demand. Through the analysis of the locations of six thematic film routes in Barcelona compared to the same locations on the largest online travel review platform, TripAdvisor, it is concluded that, far from spreading out tourist flows, fiction-induced tourism in Barcelona has concentrated tourism at the main attractions of the city. Only a few exceptions of films with minor audiences lead tourists off the beaten track. Overall, this paper provides a set of recommendations, strategies and challenges for destination managers to help alleviate overtourism and to offer more sustainable tourism away from spots that attract mass tourism.

Keywords: overtourism; film-induced tourism; User-Generated Content; online reviews; Barcelona; TripAdvisor (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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