HOLLYWOOD blockbusters and big TV hits always draw a huge crowd and there’s no doubt that they have affected tourism across the world.

Peter Jackson’s cinematic adaptations of the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the most recent Hobbit films have had a massive impact on tourism in New Zealand. The many panoramic shots of New Zealand landscapes have attracted fans from across the world. The set used for the Shire has also become a major tourist feature.

Closer to home, Broadchurch, the hit TV detective drama starring David Tennant, has also caused a surge in tourism in Dorset. Hotel bookings have seen a huge rise since the show first aired.

So could recent film and TV productions have the same effect for Brighton and Sussex?

Mr Holmes, the latest adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective stories, starring Sir Ian McKellen, features different locations in Sussex. The film follows a retired Sherlock Holmes in a house on the South Downs. Locations include the Seven Sisters, Seaford beach and Hailsham’s pavilion cinema. Perhaps if the film opens to a big enough success today, audiences could find themselves drawn to the locations from the Sussex countryside.

Also upcoming is the BBC crime drama, Cuffs, which takes place in Brighton and could give viewers a closer look at the city. If Cuffs matches the success of Broadchurch and other shows, then perhaps its deeper exploration of Brighton could see a rise in tourist numbers.

  • Peter Lyons is a journalist