A film may end and its sets may be dismantled, but its impact on a destination can last for decades, as Greece is discovering with Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” and the enduring legacy of “Mamma Mia!” on Skopelos.
A new study by IOBE, the think tank of the National Bank of Greece, quantifies the link between international productions filmed in Greece and tourism growth in those regions.
For every additional 1,000 euros in state cash-rebate support, the study found 31 to 43 additional foreign arrivals and 45 to 105 extra overnight stays, translating into roughly 17,700 to 24,600 euros in additional tourism spending.
Since 2019, 188 international productions and minority co-productions have been approved for Greece’s cash rebate.
The Greek Film Centre (EKKOMED) has paid or will pay about 270 million euros in rebates, while those productions have made or are expected to make nearly 480 million euros in direct private spending in Greece
The Peloponnese is already capitalizing on the global exposure from “The Odyssey.”
Through VisitPeloponnese, regional authorities are promoting filming locations and developing a thematic route around the “Homeric” Peloponnese to turn media attention into a lasting tourism product.
On Skopelos, 18 years after “Mamma Mia!” the film continues to function as a form of international advertising.
The island has developed private tours to filming sites, including the Agios Ioannis chapel, and hosts open-air screenings that attract visitors from the U.S., Finland and Thailand.
Leonidas Christopoulos, CEO of EKKOMED, said Greece has established itself on the international filming map.
The next challenge, he said, is to turn that position into a permanent economic advantage by ensuring each production leaves more value in the Greek economy and each image of Greece translates into real development and tourism benefits.