Empire and romance: Movie-induced tourism and the case of the sissi movies

Recent literature discusses movies and television as determinants of destinations’ image formation influencing tourists’ travel decisions. However, there still exists a lack of knowledge regarding the details of such screen-related influences on travel behaviour. This study attempts to shed light on these screen-related aspects and their role in influencing travel decisions and travel behaviour at the destination. In particular, it examines the role of the AustroGerman Sissi movies in attracting visitors to Vienna (Austria). The movies were shot during the 1950s and Vienna served as a major set for the movie. Based on a review of the major literature in the field of movie-induced tourism and the empirical survey the authors are able to derive implications for destination marketing and further research recommendations. Questionnaires were distributed amongst visitors of Sissi-related heritage sites. The findings support the importance of movie-induced tourism by illustrating that the Sissi movies contributed to travellers’ choice to visit Vienna and the film location.