Tour operators can be viewed as producers because they combine various parts of the tourism product to create a new and more complex product. Hence, their success depends upon their ability to buy separate products and services at a comparatively low price and combine all these in a profitable manner to benefit both the clients and themselves. On one hand, they also try to differentiate their products and services to enhance competitiveness and for that they also provide additional services like travel insurance, visa assistance, travel newspapers, maps or guides, travel consultants to their packages (Holloway, 1998). As shown in Fig 3, a vast majority of small and medium-sized tourism enterprises (SMTEs) also exist in tourism sector but due to their structural and functional weaknesses, hotels depend almost entirely on the tour operators for their communication with consumers as well as visibility in major markets (Buhalis, 1994). Furthermore, through vertical integration, tour operators also control both transportation companies (charter airlines) and retailers (travel agency chains). The strategies adapted by various tour operators or travel agents of film tourism to capitalize on distant markets are discussed in the next section. (i) Attracting tourists to the film locations The initiatives to attract tourists are location centred, rather than film-centred. It is about being more clearly related to individual locations, areas or regions associated with a particular film. As such, they are targeted mainly at those who have previously been transformed from film audience to tourist or potential tourist. In other words, at those individuals whose interest in travelling to film locations has already been established (Olsberg, 2007). Furthermore, these proposals also have strong awareness raising power and can give contribution by creating an interest in travelling to the locations. But in order to achieve the goal, tourism agencies have to collaborate with other stakeholders on these initiatives. It can be either producers/distributors of the film, individual locations, private tourism companies, other tourism agencies or the press. (ii) Movie tours Movie tours are also very popular and successful promotional tools used for marketing the destination (Hudson & Ritchie, 2006b). These may vary from walking tours for small areas, or transportation-based for larger areas. Many local tour operators, regional tourist organizations as well as movie studios offer film tours to various destinations. Furthermore, there are many movie
Tour operators can be viewed as producers because they combine various parts of the tourism product to create a new and more complex product. Hence, their success depends upon their ability to buy separate products and services at a comparatively low price and combine all these in a profitable manner to benefit both the clients and themselves. On one hand, they also try to differentiate their products and services to enhance competitiveness and for that they also provide additional services like travel insurance, visa assistance, travel newspapers, maps or guides, travel consultants to their packages (Holloway, 1998). As shown in Fig 3, a vast majority of small and medium-sized tourism enterprises (SMTEs) also exist in tourism sector but due to their structural and functional weaknesses, hotels depend almost entirely on the tour operators for their communication with consumers as well as visibility in major markets (Buhalis, 1994). Furthermore, through vertical integration, tour operators also control both transportation companies (charter airlines) and retailers (travel agency chains). The strategies adapted by various tour operators or travel agents of film tourism to capitalize on distant markets are discussed in the next section. (i) Attracting tourists to the film locations The initiatives to attract tourists are location centred, rather than film-centred. It is about being more clearly related to individual locations, areas or regions associated with a particular film. As such, they are targeted mainly at those who have previously been transformed from film audience to tourist or potential tourist. In other words, at those individuals whose interest in travelling to film locations has already been established (Olsberg, 2007). Furthermore, these proposals also have strong awareness raising power and can give contribution by creating an interest in travelling to the locations. But in order to achieve the goal, tourism agencies have to collaborate with other stakeholders on these initiatives. It can be either producers/distributors of the film, individual locations, private tourism companies, other tourism agencies or the press. (ii) Movie tours Movie tours are also very popular and successful promotional tools used for marketing the destination (Hudson & Ritchie, 2006b). These may vary from walking tours for small areas, or transportation-based for larger areas. Many local tour operators, regional tourist organizations as well as movie studios offer film tours to various destinations. Furthermore, there are many movie
Film_Tourism_10.docx