Research from Virgin Media O2 reveals nearly half of Brits (48 per cent) would visit a destination if a movie has been filmed there, with Brits on average willing to travel 173 miles to see iconic film locations – the equivalent of driving from Newcastle to Liverpool.

The study shows that visiting movie locations is a key tourism driver for staycations, with over £7 billion estimated to be spent per year on travel and accommodation. And as a nation of film fanatics, it’s perhaps not surprising that one in four Brits (26 per cent) admit they’d rather plan a trip to visit a film location over visiting a family member or friend (23 per cent).

And it seems social media is playing an increasing role in influencing the locations people choose to travel, with 28 per cent of Brits more likely to be swayed by a trip they’ve seen on social media compared to a recommendation from a friend (23 per cent).

To help inspire movie buffs ahead of booking their next trip, Virgin Media O2 has launched a new way of finding film locations via its new Movie Mapper tool which enables users to search by show, genre or region to find their favourite film locations across the country.

Once at their film pilgrimage, four in five Brits (79 per cent) reveal they document their trip by taking photographs, with 21 per cent admitting to throwing themselves into reenacting a scene from the film.

Some Brits are willing to go that extra mile, perhaps too far, to get the perfect shot, with 20 per cent prepared to ask a complete stranger if they can enter their home and nearly one in ten (9 per cent) men even willing to risk getting fined.

Google Trends findings also reveal that over the past five years, searches for ‘film locations’ spike dramatically around the festive season, likely due people wanting to visit the locations of their favourite Christmas classics.

Virgin Media O2 reveals Brits’ favourite film locations in the UK:

David Bouchier, Chief TV and Entertainment Officer at Virgin Media O2, said: “With such a varied selection of movies and streaming services available on Virgin TV, our customers can find thousands of films at their fingertips. We’ve created our easy-to-use Movie Mapper to complement our hassle-free navigation on Virgin TV, allowing film fans across the country to immerse themselves in their favourite movies and get inspired for their next trip beyond the screen. We can all now create our own memories at some of the most iconic film locations in the UK.”

Virgin Media TV customers can get into the movie mood and find inspiration for their next holiday destination via the movie section on Virgin TV. And for holidaymakers looking to visit a film location overseas (17 per cent), or just those in need of a holiday, O2 offers inclusive roaming in the EU as standard, up to 25GB.

Categories: Articles, Consumer Behaviour, Research, Social Media

Tags: Christmas, David Bouchier, entertainment, Liverpool, London, Virgin Media O2