15 February 2008
The royal film premiere of The Other Boleyn Girl (19 February), attended by Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, could draw attention to historic destinations and attractions and help raise awareness of Britain’s film tourism and royal heritage appeals.
– Britain’s fifth largest industry – worth £85 billion – 3.5% of the nation’s economy –
– employs 2.1 million people – 7.7% of the workforce – more jobs than construction or transport –
– generates over £16 billion in export earning –
– inbound visitors pay £3.3 billion in tax, the equivalent of the salary of 195,000 nurses –
The royal film premiere of The Other Boleyn Girl (19 February), attended by Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, could draw attention to historic destinations and attractions and help raise awareness of Britain’s film tourism and royal heritage appeals.
Starring Scarlett Johansson as the eponymous Mary Boleyn, Natalie Portman as her sister Anne and Eric Bana as King Henry VIII, the film is an engrossing tale of intrigue, romance and betrayal set against the backdrop of a defining moment in Britain’s history.
Great Chalfield Manor and Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire, Derbyshire’s Haddon Hall and Ockwell Manor in London all doubled for interior and exterior scenes of the Boleyn country home. Kent’s Dover Castle, Knole House and Penshurst Place also appear in the film as Whitehall Palace and the Tower of London. Berkshire’s Dorney Court, North Lees Hall in Derbyshire and St Bart’s Church, London are also used as locations in the film.
At UK cinemas nationwide from 7 March, the film is released at the perfect time ahead of the country’s second British Tourism Week (www.britishtourismweek.com) from 10 to 18 March 2008. HRH The Prince of Wales is patron of the Week, which aims to galvanise organisations and individuals to take pride in being part of the tourism industry. It will raise the profile of Britain’s £85 billion visitor economy and draw national awareness to its critical importance to local economies and millions of livelihoods.
British tourism chiefs are expecting a double whammy from The Other Boleyn Girl because of the locations that appear on screen and the film’s resonance with Britain’s royal heritage. Research shows that on average, 60% of potential visitors would be very likely to visit places associated with Britain’s royal family or monarchy. The top five royal attractions in the country alone account for millions of visits each year.
A recent survey asked 25,000 people around the world which British icon would best communicate that they were in Britain if they sent it on a postcard: 11% selected an image of the Queen, making her the third most popular choice. Her image was most popular with the Czechs, Russians, Chinese, Polish, Indians and Hungarians.
Tom Wright, chief executive of national tourism agency VisitBritain and co-chairman of the forthcoming British Tourism Week, says: “Our royal family – past and present – retains an enduring popularity around the world and the Queen’s image is strongly associated with Britain, particularly among visitors who may not have much familiarity with our destinations. As the greatest potential for tourism growth is coming from newer markets in Eastern Europe, Russia, China and India, global interest in our royal heritage can only help us compete with rival destinations in the future.”
Film tourism or ‘set-jetting’ is an increasingly popular holiday option. With 40% of potential visitors “very likely” to visit places from films or TV, the industry expects the appearance of British locations to help encourage many more visitors and increase Britain’s appeal as a set-jetter’s paradise.
Stephen Dowd, chief executive of inbound tourism trade body UKinbound and co-chairman of British Tourism Week, says: “The stunning locations featured in this film make our country look particularly inviting. Set-jetting is a great way of marketing a destination and Britain’s popularity as a location for many of the biggest films has helped us capitalise on this ‘screen magic’. Showcasing destinations through film helps maintain the popularity of our beautiful landscapes and countryside, centuries of history and royal heritage, iconic characters, actors, actresses and literary greats.”
Visit www.britishtourismweek.com for more information
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Elliott Frisby, Corporate PR Manager, VisitBritain on 020 8563 3035 or 07951 996241
Notes to Editors
· British Tourism Week (10-18 March 2008) has been established to demonstrate the critical value of tourism to the economy of the United Kingdom. Through a week of events throughout the UK it will:
o Increase awareness of the success and importance of the tourism industry
o Raise quality standards
o Promote training and professionalism
o Improve competitiveness of the UK tourism industry
o Support the preparations for hosting the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games
· British Tourism Week is organised by VisitBritain and UKinbound with the support of the Tourism Alliance, Tourism Society, ABTA the Travel Association, VisitScotland, Visit Wales, Visit London and Britain’s regional tourist boards.