Displacement Theory – Probing New Ground in Film-Induced Tourism

Films or movies provide us with a window into other places that broaden our knowledge and can fuel our desire to travel. Much of the research to date in this field has focused on the promotional aspects and the impacts of the phenomenon with little research into the motivations of the film-induced tourists themselves. Further, films are not always shot in the place where they are portraying on screen. This has become a common occurrence (especially in countries such as Ireland) and it is not unusual for a film to be made in a completely different country from that it portrays. This form of displacement creates issues of authenticity and implications as to where the tourist influenced by such a film will choose to visit.This paper investigates what the author has termed displacement theory within the larger phenomenon of film-induced tourism and presents a clearer understanding of the inherent implications, opportunities and challenges for economic development this may bring. An interpretivistic research approach was taken utilizing the power of the internet and harnessing the use of specially created blogs to collect qualitative data. Analysis of qualitative data from 161 respondents was then followed up by further blog-related data from a sample of 19 of the original bloggers. Following analysis of this, semi-structured interviews with management staff of 7 respective tourism and film organizations throughout the UK and Ireland took place. Findings reveal that issues of displacement do matter to tourists and that there are three distinct markets in existence which comprise three distinct tourist types in relation to film-induced tourism. This has enabled the author to develop a model of displacement (the first such model in this field of study) which conveys the motivational factors at play on the tourist and what is happening when displacement in film tourism occurs in relation to the three distinct markets. This is then utilized to make key recommendations as to how industry can maximize future potential from film-induced tourism, especially when displacement occurs.