Da Vinci Code Releases Curious Tourist in All of Us
Travel to Paris & Rome to Increase Thanks to Hit Book, Movie Debut
The Signal - Business Section, May, 2006
Coming to a travel destination near you is the curious tourist. Thanks to the blockbuster success of the summer movie season, conveniently coinciding with the traditional family vacation time of year, cities and sights around the world will be bustling with travelers.
As the opening credits roll across the big screen, those who already read the book are already passing through airport customs in route to see for themselves the places they experienced through an author’s descriptive words.
Yes, we’re talking Da Vinci Code mania. It happens with most great books turned motion picture, or with breakout television shows. Travel related impact. It starts slowly, builds momentum and sustains itself, all the while bringing much-appreciated tourist dollars to the featured destinations. In some instances, the hype has brought an unknown location to light, putting it on the radar of travelers everywhere as a must-see destination.
It’s not like travel to Paris and Rome was ever lacking. These two high-demand vacation spots draw travelers by the airplane full even without the help of the most talked about book – and now movie – of the past year. Imagine the lines at Louvre to see the Mona Lisa now that Tom Hanks has taken the leading role.
Set in Paris and Rome and traveling to famous museums, churches, along roadways and waterways, to landmarks and airports, the Da Vinci Code book and movie will surely have an influence on travel to Europe this summer. The hype should continue well through the fall into winter and likely beyond, once the DVD comes out.
In addition to increasing travel planning to the area, those who already have airline tickets and hotel reservations will make a point to visit the places and paintings in the story to witness it from a new Da Vinci Code perspective. The funny thing is, in the book, the main characters never seem to eat or rest. So where will traveling movie groupies dine and sleep the Da Vinci Code way?
Industrious entrepreneurs will quickly respond to the increased demand by creating Da Vinci Code guided bus and walking tours, educational museum and church visits, and undoubtedly souvenirs of every imaginable sort. T-shirts, encrypted items, special decoders, maps, painting prints, charms, jewelry, and more will be on every street corner in locations even remotely connected to the story.
We’ve seen it happen time and again at home and abroad. From Boston to Chicago, New York to Orange County, at any given moment a television show, reality series or major motion picture is underway at one of these city locations. The viewers quickly become travelers, who are attracted to sights by the sheer star-power of it all. Take the concept abroad, and the vacation becomes longer and even more adventurous. From the Survivor island of Palau to Under the Tuscan Sun of Italy, Hollywood has an impact on tourism.
Whether you’re heading to the movie theater or the Louvre this summer, be prepared for all things Da Vinci Code. Who knows, you might even learn a little bit more about art, history and the church than you ever imagined. There truly is a curious tourist in all of us.
For more information
contact Nicole Stinson, Public Relations
(310) 312-3368
