Africa can better capitalise on the immense marketing potential of major films and television series, building off the successful case studies of productions such as Out of Africa and The Lion King in attracting tourists.

The benefits of film tourism are multi-faceted – not only drawing attention to destinations but also attracting high-spending, long-staying production crews and helping to stimulate the development of local film-making capacity.

Disney’s 2019 remake of The Lion King fuelled notable increases in demand for trips to southern and East Africa while inspiring tour operators to create dedicated themed itineraries appealing to families thirsting for their first African safaris.

Meanwhile, the 1985 Oscar award-winning Out of Africa has been credited as an influential driver of Kenya’s rise to worldwide prominence as a safari destination.

“A film is an absolute catalyst for generating interest in a destination,” says Lance Gibbons, Director of South Africa-based film location scouting platform Filmset. “But what’s sad for me is that Africa has not necessarily put its hand up for marketing the destination to the film-making industry.”

Production teams bring high value

"Film crews are high-end tourists: they fill up the front of the plane." Gibbons explains. “They want five-star hotels, they stay for long periods and use all the facilities of the hotel while spending money to make themselves feel at home. And they’re sharing their experiences while shooting the destination through various media. So the economic and marketing value during the production process is huge.”

South Africa is leading the way in creating an environment conducive to international film-making, strongly supported by co-production treaties with Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand and the UK.

“Co-production agreements not only draw international film production teams but also allow for shared management and staffing – and thereby job creation – between local and foreign partners. We’ve got systems that work really well here and we’re also strong on partnerships with most of the world’s major international film festivals,” says Gibbons.

The Department of Trade and Industry also offers a package of incentives supporting foreign and domestic film and television producers contributing to “employment creation, local procurement, enhancing the international profile of the South African industry while increasing the country’s creative and technical skills base”.

Immeasurable destination marketing value

Although recent studies on the total impact of film tourism are scant, according to the Travelstat Competitive Index, 80 million tourists decided to travel to a destination motivated by films and TV series in 2017.

In terms of destination marketing value, Africa can look to The Lord of the Rings trilogy’s remarkable impact in attracting tourists to New Zealand. The annual tourist influx to New Zealand grew by 40% from 1.7 million in 2000 to 2.4 million in 2006 – attributed in large part to the films.

With the exception of South Africa and to a lesser extent Kenya, national governments around the region have been slow to exploit the sector’s immense destination marketing potential. But this is starting to change.

Produced in 2022, the Tanzania: The Royal Tour documentary, which featured Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan embarking on a seven-day tour of the country’s destinations, was credited with helping lure tourists back to the East African nation after COVID.

Building off this success, the Amazing Tanzania documentary was launched in May this year, specifically promoting the country to Chinese audiences. This while the national government seeks to fully leverage the Tanzania-China Year of Tourism and Culture celebrating 60 years of relations between the two countries with a host of cultural exchange and diplomatic engagement activities. In August, the Swahili version of Karibu Melile (“Welcome to Milele”), a documentary series co-produced by Tanzanian and Chinese companies, was launched, reinforcing the government’s commitment to strengthening collaboration in film.

“By collaborating with China, our film-makers can enhance the quality of their productions, leading to better storytelling, higher production values and a competitive industry on the global stage,” says Tanzanian film expert Zabron Mnyeti.

Africa has it all

Africa’s diverse mix of sophisticated and bustling cityscapes, rural villages, colourful cultures, extraordinary wildlife and historically significant colonial architecture makes the continent an ideal destination for film-makers.

Gibbons says: “We might not have extensive infrastructure but we've certainly got adequate infrastructure to lend to film. There are a lot of beautifully restored period buildings along with the stunning natural scenery we are famous for. I believe any destination in Africa can capitalise on the massive potential of the international film industry. They just need to have the willingness to open themselves up to it.”

Filmset has developed a desktop and mobile platform showcasing a database of geo-located film locations throughout South Africa. Expansions are planned into the broader southern and East African regions.

“We’ve got Namibia on board and Botswana is also looking at creating a framework to attract international work using Filmset as a channel to market the destination,” Gibbons points out.