Boom of tourists in Naples thanks to films and TV series: even Netflix pushes visits

Times are constantly changing, thanks in part to technology, and the tourism sector is no exception. In fact, according to recent research, people, not just in Italy but around the world, are now choosing holiday destinations differently.

Most of the choices nowadays are made by watching films or TV series and tens of thousands of tourists opt for one place rather than another based on the passion sparked after seeing a good film or an engaging series.

Netflix research: Campania among the most chosen destinations

According to the research, promoted by Netflix, 87% of a sample of 13 viewers from Brazil, the United Kingdom, India, the United States, France, India, and Spain said they would consider choosing Italy, and also Campania , after watching films and TV series set in our beautiful region.

Naples , of course, also attracts many tourists, thanks in part to the huge success of Paolo Sorrentino's film The Hand of God in recent weeks , which was also nominated for an Oscar. The film has also been turned into a photography exhibition , which can be admired at the MANN in Naples.

The international research we're discussing was presented at Bit at Fieramilanocity and conducted by Basis on behalf of Netflix. It demonstrated that films and TV series are crucial for tourism development and a key driver for attracting tourists to Italy. The study also showed that those who streamed, and otherwise, Italian content are highly likely to choose our country for their vacation.

In fact, as mentioned, 87% of people who watched this content and had never been to Italy expressed a desire to travel there. Furthermore, those who use Netflix as a streaming service are 50% more likely to watch Italian content than those who don't use Netflix.

Therefore, thanks to this research, we can affirm that the power of images and videos that tell the story of a territory is fundamental in creating attraction towards that area.

Enit-Netflix protocol to promote tourism

Following this research, ENIT (the National Tourism Agency) and Netflix signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen the link between tourism promotion and audiovisual production.

In fact, as mentioned, it is thanks to Netflix that this research was carried out which wanted to study the impact of series and films on the choice of travelers for their tourist destinations and there is no doubt that there is a strong link between the two sectors.

That's why the idea of ​​this new protocol whose aims are:

• implement synergies and actions to promote the "country system";
• strengthen the positive perception that the Italian “brand” has on viewers;
• spread the knowledge of Italian riches and cultural diversity and of our lifestye;
• create a strong collaboration to develop projects aimed at enhancing Italian tourist destinations, especially those less known, to the international public;
• a dedicated team will be set up.

The cultural aspects that attract to Naples

What the viewers of films and TV series set in different countries, such as Italy and our Campania, are most attracted to are:

• the kitchen;
• history;
• culture.

Naturally, Naples wins hands down in these areas . The symbols of our cultural, historical, and culinary traditions are known throughout the world, and seeing them increasingly revisited in films and TV series only serves to amaze viewers.

Films and series set in Naples

In recent years, we've seen some notable examples of television and film productions that have captured the imagination. Just think of My Brilliant Friend, a TV series based on Elena Ferrante's books of the same name, which enjoyed worldwide success. But we can list a long list of stories set in our city:

• The Bastards of Pizzofalcone, Rai fiction based on the books by Maurizio De Giovanni;
• Mina September, Rai fiction based on the books by Maurizio De Giovanni;
• Commissioner Ricciardi, Rai fiction based on the books by Maurizio De Giovanni
• Here I laugh, Mario Martone's film on Eduardo Scarpetta;
• It was the hand of God, a film by Paolo Sorrentino, distributed by Netflix and nominated for an Oscar
• The De Filippo brothers, Sergio Rubini's film about Eduardo, Peppino and Titina De Filippo;
• Gomorrah, both the film based on the book by Roberto Saviano and the TV series;
• Naples Veiled, a film by Ferzan Ozpetek;
• the aforementioned Brilliant friend.

Sold out for the Easter week between hotels and B & Bs

These reasons have contributed to the sold- out Easter week in Naples . Hotels are fully booked, and countless tourists will come to the city to visit our beautiful sights, learn about our history, and savor our exquisite cuisine.

According to Federalberghi, room occupancy levels are similar to pre-Covid levels, when 90% of bookings were reached in 2019. We're currently at 80%, but this percentage is expected to increase thanks to future last-minute bookings.

B&B managers also expressed their satisfaction and confirmed the hoteliers' forecasts.

At the moment, most tourists are local, with around 65% being local tourism , but as anti-Covid restrictions ease, we will be even more open to European and overseas tourism.

There are also many requests to visit Procida, which is this year's Italian Capital of Culture and has offered a rich program of events throughout the year. Remember that public transportation on the island is now free.