Written by new-contact on Nov 4, 2014. Posted in On Location

Game of Thrones shoot instantly boosts film tourism in Spanish town Osuna

Shooting for the fifth season of HBO’s hit fantasy drama Game of Thrones has had an instant impact on film tourism in the town of Osuna in southern Spain. Servicing for the shoot has helped boost the town and an influx of fans has been an added benefit.

“It’s hard to find the right words to describe how much hope and excitement this has brought to our town,” said Rosario Andújar Torrejón, Mayor of Osuna, in comments to the Guardian.

“We’ve had two weekends in a row where the bars are so packed you can’t even find a place to have a drink.

"Everyone has noticed – there are a lot of tourists, even Americans, which we never saw before. Some used to joke that Americans didn’t know where Spain was. But they’ve found it, and more importantly, they’ve found Osuna.”

The Spanish leg of the shoot is being serviced by Fresco Film, which received nearly 90,000 applications when it advertised for 550 extras to appear in the drama.

Production spending is rapidly trickling down into the local economy, with unusual expenditures also in the mix. Actress Emilia Clarke, one of the show’s main stars, had her birthday during the shoot and producers commissioned an Osuna bakery to prepare a cake for 200 people. Film tourism in the area is likely to grow when the new series is launched next year.

Game of Thrones is based in Northern Ireland, where the show has had a massive impact on the regional production industry over a four-season run. The drama has become a fundamental part of how Northern Ireland markets itself internationally and is routinely cited around the world as an example of the potential economic impact of a successful high-end TV series.

(Images: HBO)