The nature of TV programming this Christmas could influence the decisions made by holidaymakers when it comes to booking trips away during 2014.
That is the view of ABTA – The Travel Association – which is predicting that top films and series that are filmed in a variety of locations will act as inspiration in the coming year.
The past few years have seen a strong correlation between destinations which feature in festive programming and on holiday bookings for those locations.
Christmas falls immediately before peak booking season and friends and family will often get together to discuss holiday ideas before booking.
As a result, the locations seen in the many TV specials that appear on the screens over Christmas can have a strong influence on where people consider for their breaks away.
The big screen highlights this Christmas
This festive season is set to be no different with a host of fantastic destinations to be broadcast – Mamma Mia showcases the Greek Isles while The Godfather promotes the Mediterranean island of Sicily.
The Sound of Music will also screen during the Christmas break, set to the marvelous backdrop of Salzburg and the Austrian Alps – a picture of beauty all year round.
Bear Grylls and Stephen Fry will explore the Dolomite Mountains in northern Italy as part of Bear’s Wild Weekend while Michael Palin explore the states of Pennsylvania and Maine.
The Christmas TV special of Downton Abbey is expected to boost British tourism as England’s countryside is shown in its finest, while Death to Pemberley imagines life for Jane Austen’s most famous couple – Mr. Darcy and Lizzie Bennet.
Meanwhile Sky’s leading drama Moonfleet was also filmed in various parts of the UK and is set to draw attention to the delights of Dorset and Cornwall among many other locations.
The New Year is also set to feature Scandinavia as two new series go live on BBC4 – 1864, set in Denmark, and Crimes of Passion, a gripping Swedish thriller.
Influencing decisions
“Any TV programme or film that showcases a destination strongly can be incredibly influential,” explained Victoria Bacon, ABTA’s head of communications.
“Christmas represents a time when friends and family come together to share ideas and inspiration, often ahead of booking their holiday in January, so that makes television and film particularly influential during this time.”
If you are considering going away next year, prepaid travel cards are a fantastic way to ensure you stay within budget and don’t have any unexpected bills upon your return.
Your funds will be on the card and you won’t have any need for cash and travellers’ cheques, making your trip stress-free.
