Film Tourism in the Promotion of a Touristic Area

Purpose: The purpose of the article is to find out consumers' expectations and motivations for using set jetting as a form of promotion of an area. The authors considered what viewers think about the placement of an area in a movie or TV series, and whether this form of promotion contributes to visiting the depicted place. They also sought answers to the question, what could activate these trips? Design/Methodology/Approach: The empirical part was based on pilot survey research conducted using the CAWI method in October 2023. The study was conducted on a sample of 216 adult Poles over the age of 18. It was a random selection. The theoretical part of the article is based on a review of literature on the tourist promotion of the area, mainly set jetting and city placement. Findings: Respondents like to watch movies or series - more than 50% do so daily or several times a week. The Netflix platform is the most popular (78.7%). Nearly 90% of respondents specified that locating the action of a movie/series in a particular place increases the recognition of that area. Thanks to movies or TV series, one can get to know new places; it is a non-intrusive advertisement that positively increases the attraction. 43% of respondents visited a place under the influence of watching a movie/series. An important issue was to obtain information on the elements that encourage set jetting, i.e. visiting an area under the influence of a movie or TV series. It turned out that this was mainly the desire to learn about the tourist attractions of the place (82% answered definitely and rather yes), to participate in events related to the plot (65.28%) or to feel the "spirit" of the characters (63.43%). Practical Implications: Set jetting is a relatively new trend in tourism. Becoming aware of travellers' motivations and whether watching series/movies influences their choice of destination can contribute to targeted efforts by local governments. Set jetting is an effective alternative to traditional marketing communication tools to engage audiences. However, it is important not only to place a given place in a TV series or movie but also to arrange a variety of forms so that a given viewer will want to visit the place viewed. This is because the current viewer is focused on experiencing, experiencing, likes out-of-the-box solutions, not just passive reception. Originality/Value: There is not a lot of research being conducted on the topic being discussed. These are usually case studies on a film/series or area. The results of the original research presented here, although pilot, cover a broader range of the topic under discussion.