(Re)Visiting Game of Thrones: film-induced tourism and television fiction

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study examines the relationship between how a television series presents the locations where it is filmed and the tourist experiences of its audience, combining content analysis and reception theory. The Spanish filming locations for Game of Thrones (HBO) were chosen as a case study. The findings suggest that tourists post more photographs on social media of locations that are shown longer on screen, that have more sequences of importance to the narrative structure and that characters interact with more intensely. These findings demonstrate the importance of the audiovisual text to the potential role of film in tourist destination promotion.