Cultural Tourism, Destination Branding and the Economic Impact of Creative Industries in Türkiye
Recently, cultural tourism has evolved beyond just taking landscape photos. Cities are now strengthening their brands by collaborating with the film industry; shooting a series or a blockbuster movie can put destinations on the global map. In 2025, these partnerships broke records: Film tourism increased tourism revenues worldwide by 15% (UNWTO data).
As we enter 2026, we have compiled some of the most striking examples – based on concrete developments without rumors.
Global Agreements and Collaborations: Screens Redefining Cities
In 2025, it was the year of international agreements. UNESCO’s “Film Tourism and Cultural Heritage” initiative brought together 12 countries. Within this framework, the “Screen Europe” protocol signed between Netflix and the European Union stood out: with a fund of 150 million euros, 20 destinations from the Amalfi coast in Italy to Lisbon in Portugal hosted TV series and film productions. The result? Lisbon’s tourism traffic increased by 22%; 40% of visitors came to see the filming locations of the series “The Night Manager.”
In Asia, South Korea’s K-Culture Agency signed an agreement with HBO for “Hallyu Trails.” Seoul and Jeju Island attracted an extra 2.5 million tourists as sets for “Squid Game 2” and related projects. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government in Japan partnered with Sony Pictures; the expansion of the “Godzilla vs. Kong” universe turned Shibuya and Akihabara into “kaiju tour” routes – recording 1.2 million fan visits in 2025.
Players and Platforms: Stars Shining a Light on Destinations
Global stars take the lead in these projects. Timothée Chalamet filmed in Marrakech, Morocco, for the 2025 production “Dune: Prophecy”; the city became known for “Arrakis Desert Tours” and jumped off the UNESCO list. Margot Robbie’s team chose Melbourne, Australia, for “Barbie 2” – a partnership with the local government led to the “Pink Dream” campaign, bringing in 800,000 visitors.
Platforms also played their part. Amazon Prime filmed the spin-off “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” in Scotland’s Highlands region; Edinburgh and Inverness grew by 18% with “Middle-earth Adventure” tours. Disney+ used Oaxaca, Mexico, for the sequel to *Encanto* – collaboration with the local community connected tourism to cultural heritage education. Worth noting from Türkiye: Antalya expanded its filming locations post *Gladiator II* with Paramount+ in 2025; the “Roman Emperor Routes” welcomed 500,000 tourists.
Echoes in Foreign Press: Praise and Numbers Speak
The Guardian (December 2025) put Scotland in the headlines with “Film Tourism Turns Cities into Saviors”: “Highlands saw a 30% increase in income post-pandemic recovery with the help of Hollywood.” The New York Times dubbed Lisbon as “Europe’s New Film Capital,” while Variety praised Seoul’s K-drama boom as the “New Silk Road in Tourism.” Le Monde wrote that Marrakech evolved “desert tourism into a luxury experience” with the Chalamet effect – numbers supporting it with a 25% leap in Moroccan tourism.
Interesting Details: Fans, Awards, and Advertising Miracles
The tourism impact is tangible: Florence in Italy saw 3 million “fashion tourists” in 2025 post *House of Gucci*. Fan meetings also played a role – *Squid Game* fan events in Jeju gathered 100,000 people; “Hobbit Walks” in Inverness broke records.
The crowning with awards: Lisbon was named “Best Film Tourism Destination” at the 2025 World Travel Awards. Melbourne received the Cannes Lions Advertising Award for the *Barbie* campaign – pink bus tours wrote the book on branding.
In Türkiye, Cappadocia turned into the “Tatooine Valleys” with the filming of *Star Wars: Ahsoka*; in 2025, 1.5 million visitors took balloon tours to a galactic dimension.
These partnerships have transformed cities from merely visited places into iconic destinations. More is expected in 2026 – as screens open up, suitcases are not being closed. Update your travel plans; the next scene could be your route.
Editor’s Note:
Sources: UNWTO 2025 Report, UNESCO Film Tourism Database, Variety & Guardian archives. Visit local tourism websites for visuals.
