Screen Tourism: Worlds Within the Screen, Moving the Economy

Abstract

The number of tourists traveling to attractions and destinations they had seen on screen continues to increase. Screen tourism is a marketing tool that encourages tourism demand as well as promotes economic development, with governments and destination marketing organizations attracting tourists through conventional and digital media. However, few studies have explored the relative attractiveness of screen tourism in different markets. This research examines screen tourism through the lens of gravity theory, focusing on the distinction between developed and developing countries, which has not been previously studied. The results indicate that the larger the economy, the more positive the effect on tourism demand, while the more significant the distance, the more negative the effect on tourism demand. The results indicate that an increase in screen sector exports positively affects tourism demand. Theoretical implications for the use of gravity theory in tourism and policy implications for screen tourism are also discussed.