Film tourism: Film as a promotional tool for tourism – Tirol sets an example

Films – moving images, but also touching images that inspire "tourist desires" - Cine Tirol has set itself the task of transporting images from Tirol to all over the world.

Knowledge of other countries, other people and other cultures has been affected by films for some time, thereby true knowledge (e.g. through documentaries) and apparent knowledge (e.g. through movies and TV-series) emerged, which has a lasting effect on the perceptions of other countries: the African wild life for instance is presented very authentically in countless documentaries, the American TV-series “Baywatch” has been transporting staged pictures of California to millions of living rooms across the globe for years.

Hence, movies can evoke a strong touristic impulse: Federico Fellini’s films already promoted Italy years ago; “Crocodile Dundee” evolved into an effective promotional film for Australia; New Zealand was able to increase the number of overnight stays by 2 0% by skillfully associating the film and tourism industry after the trilogy “Lord of the Rings” was shown in cinemas; the Hawaiian island Kauai was discovered touristically due to major film productions like “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Jurassic Park”, among other things leading to very well-booked Kauai Movie Tours; the “location” Interlaken has become a very popular destination for Indian bridal couples, because in recent years, countless film productions of the largest film industry in the world were shot in Switzerland. Or in the most recent past: “Star Wars” was filmed in a little oasis in Tunisia to a greater extent, which was recorded in numerous tourist programs of international tour operators after the worldwide success of this cinematic work. And “Sound of Music” still promotes Austria, especially Salzburg, particularly in the English-speaking world – on a highly successful basis, which up to 300,000 “Sound of Music”- guests in Salzburg are evidence of.

In a similar way, numerous films “made in Tirol” promoted the region itself – the cinematographic masterpiece “Der weiße Rausch” was a pioneering contribution to the development of alpine skiing, not only at the Arlberg. The mountain films from and with Luis Trenker brought the Tirolean mountains onto European and American cinema screens and guests from around the world to Tirol. “Heimatfilme” (sentimental films with a regional background) of the fifties and sixties, amongst others starring Romy Schneider, Peter Weck and Peter Alexander, mainly promoted Kitzbühel, Seefeld and Innsbruck to the German-speaking world. The TV-series “Der Bergdoktor”, which has been produced on the Mieming Plateau for over seven years, even today transports pictures from our country in particular to German-speaking countries (and to Scandinavia and Korea, too). And the benevolent statement of the French filmmaker Jean-Jacques Annaud, who realized his productions “The Bear” and “Seven Years in Tibet” in Tirol, also benefits from the touristic promotion of Tirol: “Especially Tirol offers the efficiency of Germany, the beauty of Switzerland and the charm of Italy!”

A study of Hallifax Travel Insurance in the United Kingdom (August 2005) also impressively confirms the impact of moving images on holiday decisions: 27 % of respondents indicated that they are inspired by movies and TV shows in their own vacation planning. The Manova study (October 2011) concludes that neutral and objective media play a significant role in the decision-making process for a holiday destination, particularly as travelers move from the „awareness set“ to the „consideration set“ – TV shows and documentaries, in particular, make a crucial contribution to the final „conversion set.“ The 2017 global survey conducted by TCI Research found that over 80 million tourists chose their holiday destination based on a film or TV series. Film tourism is also a significant topic in the Asian region: in the Chinese International Travel Monitor (CITM) conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Hotels.com in May 2018, 62 % of respondents stated that they are inspired by film and television in their travel decisions. According to a survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Expedia Brands between September and October 2023, nearly 30 % of travelers claim to be more influenced by TV shows and movies than before. TV shows exert more influence than Instagram, Face-book, and TikTok. For journeys on the trails of film productions there is already a special term: “set jetting”!

For this reason the Cine Tirol Film Commission was founded in 1998 under the under the umbrella of Tirol Tourist Board – it was the declared goal to make Tirol the leading film land in the Alps: measures in national and international strategic marketing and communication (besides being active in the overall European area with special regard to Austria and Germany Cine Tirol also aims at film centres in the United States, India and China), the offer of a professional Location Service (including Location Scouts, Location Archive and Production Guide) as well as financial support for selected film projects in form of a non-repayable production grant (the main grant criteria include the economic effect of the production on the region and the thematic relation of the production to the region) make a contribution to it. With great success, until now Cine Tirol was able to lead more than 2,000 film productions from near and far to Tirol. Highlights of these productions are among others the features “James Bond 007 – SPECTRE“, „Ein ganzes Leben“, „Die Theorie von Allem“, „Woodwalkers“, “Downhill”, “Madison”, “Märzengrund”, “Klammer – Chasing the Line”, “Eddie the Eagle”, “Saaho”, “Tiger Zinda Hai”, „Point Break“, „Snowpiercer“, „Stars in the Winter Sky“, „Yuvvraaj“, „As it is in Heaven“, „The Edukators“, „Last Holiday“, „Dead in 3 days – part 2“, „xXx – Triple X“, „Der Architekt“, „März“, „The Mystery of the Snowqueen“, „Rise up and Dance!“, „Vals“, „Extreme Ops“, „Die Freiheit des Adlers“, „Lapislazuli – Im Auge des Bären“, „Bergkristall“, „Vollgas“, „Die Skitour“, „ Helden in Tirol“, „Flashback“; the television films „Der Schandfleck“, „Schwabenkinder“, „Franz und Anna“, „Gefährliche Gefühle“, „Gipfelsturm“, „K2“, „Avalanche“, „Crazy Canucks“, „Das Weihnachtsekel“, „Der letzte Kronzeuge“, „Ausgelöscht“, „Gletscherblut“, „Der Bär ist los“, „Die Hüttenwirtin“, „Die Wanderhure“, „Die Hebamme – Auf Leben und Tod“, „Die Aufnahmeprüfung“, „Der Meineidbauer“, „Stille“, “Fremder Feind”, the TV series „Tatort“, „Im Tal des Schweigens“, „Wilder Kaiser“, „Da wo die Berge sind“, „Der Metzger“, “Team Alpin”, „Der Bergdoktor“, „SOKO Kitzbühel“, „Pardes Mein Hai Mera Dil“ and „Powder Park“, streaming productions “KITZ”, „Woman of the Death“ and „Your Christmas or Mine 2“ as well as numerous documentaries like „Glockner – The Black Mountain“, „Unterwegs nach…Heimat“, „Vom Leben am Steilhang“, „Im Reich des Steinadlers“, „Der Inn“, „Schnee“, „Streif – One Hell of a Ride“, „STAMS“ and numerous short films by young producers. Additionally, commercials for leading companies and brands like BMW, Porsche, Jaguar, Mercedes, Volkswagen, Opel, Suchard, Coca Cola, Pepsi, Sony Ericsson, Tchibo, Karstadt, Napapijri, Scania, Shell, Garmin, Samsung, Telekom and many more were shot in Tirol. For the shooting of music videos, like „Perfect“ by Ed Sheeran, „Ohne Dich“ by Rammstein, „Parasol Peak“ by Manu Delago and „Enni soni“ of the Bollywood film „Saaho“, the heart of the Alps was the perfect location too.

All the films “made in Tirol” contribute to impressive pictures of the fascinating Tirolean alpine world being sent to numerous cinema and television screens around the world, thereby promoting the “Land in the Mountains”. For this reason, Cine Tirol is proud to take the leading role for the promotion of Tirol as a film location in this global competition of (alpine) filming spots attracting to as many interesting film productions as possible to Tirol – these moving and touching pictures may contribute to further touristic development of the tourism and leisure industry in the “Heart of the Alps”.

Johannes Koeck, head of Cine Tirol, has a special interest in the recognition of the great potential of connecting the film and tourism industry and applies this also in Tirol: “For more than 100 years Tirol has been a tourist destination – for more than 100 years Tirol has been also a film location – the thriving and successful connection has proven itself valuable several times in the course of decades. For this reason, it must succeed in touristically exploiting the potential of the national and international films that have been coming to Tirol through our active support since 1998. The attention of the people responsible for the Tirolean tourism industry is drawn to examples of practical implementation through regular seminars with leading domestic and foreign advisors and they are encouraged to consequently use film productions in conjunction with shooting in the region: in this context we are especially proud of the following first concrete examples like the local premieres, the information for regular visitors before cinema release or first broadcast, the “Bergdoktor”-bike trail in Mieming, the film tour through Ötztal valley for coach guests of the Hotel Hirschen in Längenfeld, the exhibition “Das Filmatelier am See – Thiersee und seine Filmgeschichte” and the Eurotours travel program “Bollywood in Tirol” with the brochure “Bollywood in Tirol” of the Tirol Tourist Board for Indian guests. These may be pilot projects for many more film tourism initiatives in all of Tirol, in order to open up new perspectives for Tirol”, underlines Johannes Koeck.

Examples of film tourism in Tirol (a selection):

Image film “Tirol – Land in the Mountains”
The ten-minute image film “Tirol – Land in the Mountains” unifies Georg Riha’s fascinating landscapes and Philip Glass’ moving music and invites the viewer on a meditative flight over Tirol’s alpine world. The Austrian filmmaker Georg Riha realized impressive film projects trough his extraordinary visual language and innovative camera technology – for “Tirol – Land in the Mountains” Riha put together the best scenes of his elaborate productions in Tirol (e.g. “Glockner – der schwarze Berg”, “Lech – der letzte Wildfluss”) to create a sentimental journey through the Heart of the Alps. The American composer Philip Glass has already created several gorgeous film composition. During a stay in Tirol the artist came in touch with Tirolean folk songs – as commissioned work for Tirol Tourist Board Glass composed a three-movement piano concert named “Tirol Concerto for Piano and Orchestra” and especially the first movement is influenced by themes of Tirolean folk music in the form of a “Marienlied” (song about the Virgin Mary). The second sentence of the concert was used as film music for “Tirol – Land in the Mountains”, because it causes emotional reinforcement of Riha’s images. The meeting of Riha and Glass in Tirol was a piece of luck – both artists declared their spontaneous willingness for a collaboration for this film project. In the end “Tirol – Land in the Mountains” became a congenial conjunction of glorious images of Tirol’s alpine world and fantastic music with a strong connection to Tirol – the past screenings resulted in an excited audience and many international awards.

Tirol campaign with the central theme “Tirol is great cinema”
With this phrase the campaign on the one hand focused on the beautiful landscapes of Tirol, but on the other hand, a relationship to the film location Tirol with the production of “James Bond 007 – SPECTRE” was established. Among others, cinema and radio spots, Out of Home, banners and posters, online marketing on cinema websites, media cooperations, press conferences and events are part of the measures that were used in the campaign.

Sölden… And Action! From Ötztal with love
Sölden and James Bond. It was love at first sight. For “James Bond 007 – SPECTRE” the Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes searched for fascinating and unique film locations in the Alps and promptly fell in love with the Ötztal winter sports metropolis. Sölden is the scenery for the most important scene, which the producing team identified as the centrepiece of the film. The website http://andaction.soelden.com, which was created by the regional tourist office Ötztal Tourism and the Bergbahnen Sölden, provides Bond fans with all sorts of information about the production of “James Bond 007 – SPECTRE” in Sölden/Ötztal.

007 ELEMENTS: Spectacular Bond Adventure World at 3050 meters altitude
The brand new James Bond Installation in Sölden stands for a cinematic peak experience. Where Daniel Craig was in front of the camera for the Spectre movie shooting, visitors will experience an unprecedented highlight for film enthusiasts from 12 July 2018 onwards. It will lead deep into the cinematic universe of the planet’s most famous Secret Agent. The natural setting of Ötztal’s Bond World could hardly be better. At the peak of 3050 meter tall Gaislachkogl high above Sölden, 007 ELEMENTS takes you on a journey to the underground realm of an ever-young myth of the modern age. The ride on one of the world’s most modern mountain gondolas opens up the tingle of excitement. While in Spectre quartermaster and genius „Q“ enjoyed the advantages of this superb triple-rope gondola, Bond traveled to Sölden by plane. The awe-inspiring panorama of the Ötztal Alps characterized the 24th Bond adventure in appropriate Hollywood style. But in reality the scenery unfolds even more power. Ascent and arrival on top are part of the first act – worthy of any 007 adventure on this special heroic journey. The panoramic view from Sölden’s unique ski mountain is almost endless on clear days, stretching to Zugspitze summit in the north and to the mighty Dolomites in the south. As soon as the eyes are able to break away from this natural beauty, the focus quickly turns to the real object of passion: the Sölden Mountain Lift Company has installed 007 ELEMENTS inside the mountain, deep beneath the ice Q restaurant designed by architect Johann Obermoser – the location of Spectre’s Hoffler Clinic: https://www.soelden.com/007-elements-cinematic-installation

Holidays à la James Bond. The 007-SPECTRE-Locations in Sölden: The 007-package – James Bond Feeling in the 5-star hotel DAS CENTRAL in Sölden
Spectacular settings combined with a unique alpine panorama and absolutely reliable snow conditions – with this unbeatable combination, Sölden in Tirolean Ötztal shines as one of the locations in the James Bond Blockbuster SPECTRE. So those who want to walk in the footsteps of James Bond for once and combine this with exclusive delectation, have come to the right place here in Sölden. Because with the James Bond package by Das Central, Sölden’s only 5-star hotel, you can experience the unique SPECTRE-settings in the most different ways – be it from the air on a spectacular helicopter flight, on skis passing by the locations up-close or during a gourmet lunch in the exclusive ice Q: https://www.central-soelden.com/en/our-hotel/contact-us/blog/holidays-la-james-bond-in-the-footsteps-of-007-in-soelden.html and https://www.central-soelden.com/en/james-bond-soelden.html.

Exhibition “The Sölden dream factory – From Hitchcock and Geierwally to James Bond”
Everyone, who needs a leave of everyday life, goes to the cinema. There you can dream – nowadays as well as 100 years ago – unburdened of action, drama or an ideal world. The Ötztal valley has always been the stage for famous directors, distinguished actors and agents of the majesty. In the unique exhibition information about the productions was given, the film locations was shown and a look behind the scenes of the dream factory Sölden was allowed. The exhibition was located in the “Erbe Kulturraum Sölden” (www.erbe-kulturraum.at) of the local Raiffeisenbank and took place in spring 2016.

On the trails of film productions through the Ötztal valley
On the initiative of Markus Bochdansky (hotelier of the Hotel Hirschen in Längenfeld) Robert Bäuchl (extra, author of children’s books, storyteller) guides the coach guests of the Hotel Hirschen through the Ötztal valley (Obergurgl, Vent, Längenfeld, Umhausen) to Wildermieming and visits filming locations including locations of “The Mountain Eagle”, “Geierwally”, “Apollonia” and “Bergdoktor I”.

Obertilliach – A scene from “James Bond 007 – SPECTRE“
The Bond film crew travelled with snow, a sports airplane and a barn to the East Tirolean municipality Obertilliach to start shooting altogether at four locations for “James Bond 007 – SPECTRE”. Apart from information about the production, you can also find a feature video on the website of Osttirol Werbung: Set-Jetting TV offers with “Obertilliach /Eastern Tyrol – Scenes from Spectre“ an amazing insight into the finished film production: http://www.osttirol.com/en/experience-east-tyrol/east-tyrol-throughout-the-year/places-of-interest/the-last-james-bond-relic.html

On the tracks of James Bond in Tilliach, Obertilliach!
In the winter season of 2015/2016 not only James Bond but also winter sport tourists could choose between two “James Bond Packages” in Obertilliach. The highlights in package one “East Tirol: Step Into James Bond’s World in Tilliach, Obertilliach” were flying with a helicopter over the “Lienzer Dolomiten” and the Bond-Locations, a ride with the skidoo to the Bond-Locations and as-well a biathlon shooting in Bond Style. A lot more sportive was package two “East Tirol: Nordic Skiing on his Majesty’s Secret Tracks in Obertilliach”: additionally to the guided tour to the Bond locations and the biathlon-shooting in Bond-style, a 7-days cross-country skiing pass for the “Dolomiti Nordcksi” was included. http://www.osttirol.com/en/east-tyrol-and-its-regions/hochpustertal/james-bond-package.html

Radio Spot “007 on a skiing holiday in East Tirol“
To promote the winter in the mountains in East Tirol, the Osttirol Tourist Board aired a radio spot on Radio Ö3 just in time for the release of “James Bond 007 – SPECTRE” on November 6^th, 2015. According to Miss Moneypenny, James Bond was not in his office, because of a skiing trip in East Tirol. At the same time, the typical music theme stood unmistakeably in the background.

Fireball Kitzbühel
Ian Fleming lived in Kitzbühel for three years in the end of the 1920s. Until the beginning of World War II, he returned often to his place of longing. Those “golden years” in Kitzbühel formed his personality and left clear traces in his subsequent Bond novels. Fireball is a unique event. Its aim is to abduct visitors into Ian Fleming’s world of suspense and mystery, while turning Kitzbühel into an accessible, multi-dimensional story about the author’s life and works. The most complete skier will be determined in the world’s biggest pullover ski race. The challenge continues in the Casino, where a nerve-racking Black Jack-, Roulette and Baccarat tournament rewards the coolest gambler. However, winning the combined results of these two hair-raising competitions makes for the true king/queen of the Fireball. More information can be found on http://fireballkitz.com/.
The two day Ian Fleming Ski Challenge was the Fireball’s predecessor, which took place every March from 2012 to 2016. All participants met at the Casino Kitzbühel for a 007 evening with a Black Jack tournament in Bond Villain dress, before starting the Ian Fleming Ski Challenge the next day – a pullover ski race in 50s, 60s, 70s or Bond style. To round off the event, men in tuxedos and women dressed as Bond girls got together for the “Thunderball” where the prize ceremony took place, followed by a dinner party and, last but not least, an after party.

Bollywood Tour Innsbruck
Mountains, snow, flowering alpine meadows, bubbling brooks and centuries-old architecture: the dreamlike backgrounds seen in many Bollywood productions are a reality in the area around Innsbruck. Movie heroes like Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif have experienced the beauty of the region while filming in the area. Movies such “Tiger Zinda Hai”, “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil”, “Chal Mere Bhai”, “Yuvvraaj” and the TV series “Pardes Mein Hai Mera Dil” were filmed in Innsbruck an other picturesque locations in the surrounding area. Attractions like the Habsburg Imperial Palace, the famous Golden Roof and the surrounding alpine nature are responsible for breathtaking images. The two Bollywood Tours take you for a day to the most beautiful filming locations in and around Innsbruck. For more information please visit https://www.innsbruck.info/en/group-travel/bollywood.html.

Bollywood in Tirol: Eurotours Travel program for Indian guests and the brochure “Welcome to Tirollywood – the location in the Heart of the (Imperial) Alps”
More than 85 Indian film productions so far were shot in Tirol. With the Eurotours Travel program, Indian guests are able to retrace the steps of Bollywood movies in Tirol and visit some of the original locations in Innsbruck, Kitzbühel, Stubai Valley, Lake Achensee and Swarovski Crystal World. The brochure of the Tirol Tourist Board and Cine Tirol presents the film location Tirol, displays the filming spots of many Indian film productions in Tirol, highlights appreciation of filming in Tirol of Indian filmmakers and describes selected sights and tourist attractions in Tirol.

„The Art of Performance“ – Raising the Curtain for Hollywood at the Swarovski Crystal Worlds in Wattens
From costume design and red-carpet creations to global sporting events, Swarovski has inspired generations through its collaborations with worldrenowned designers and artists. In the landmark exhibition, curated by famed wardrobe designer Michael Schmidt and dreamt up by award-winning set designer Derek McLane, a timeline of illustrious history is explored. This new Chamber of Wonder removes any boundaries between the worlds of music, film, theater, and sport. Instead, they come together, joined through one celebratory lens: the wondrous allure of Swarovski. Visit the Chamber of Wonder

OPEN-AIR CINEMA to recall the heydays of the “Silver Screens”
The open-air cinema at the Giant of the Swarovski Crystal Worlds promise warm nights with lots of magic and a few thrills. From August 1 – 31, 2017 the garden of the Giant becomes an outdoor cinema under the starry sky. The theme is science fiction and fantasy – movies that have already captivated millions, with effects that are particularly enhanced by the special and magical ambience of the Giant. Of course, the Summer Festival “The Giant welcomes India” will also feature in the open-air cinema with selections from Indian and Bollywood movies. The park and picnic ambiance, together with the dainty and delicate snacks, recall the heydays of the “Silver Screens”. Incidentally, this also applies on rainy days: in inclement weather, the showing is relocated to the Forum of Swarovski Crystal Worlds. For more information please visit https://kristallwelten.swarovski.com/Content.Node/wattens/events/2017/08/Open-air_cinema_Swarovski.en.html

Silent Cinema on the Mountain
On every Tuesday in July and August 2017 the Mayrhofner Bergbahnen are showing specially selected movies on Mountain Ahorn, with the impressive mountain scenerey of the Zillertal as backdrop. As soon as the sun sets, it´s time for the Open Air Silent Cinema on Leisure Mountain Ahorn at 2000 meters above sea Level. Simply being on the mountain at dusk is an experience in itself, but having the opportunity to watch one of the specially selected movies on top of that is surely a very special highlight. Every guest receives his own pair of headphones and can choose to watch and enjoy either the original of the German-dubbed version of the movie. On the first two Tuesdays in July two movies made on location Zillertal will be presented: „Piefke Saga Part 1“ and „Piefke Saga Part 2“. The entrance fee (incl. ascent and descent) is € 25,- for adults and € 12,50 for children. Please have a look at http://www.mayrhofner-bergbahnen.com/en/highlights/silent-cinema-am-berg for the detailed program.

“Der Bergdoktor I”- „Bergdoktor“-House and bike Trail
Wildermieming – a small idyllic village 872 meters above sea level, which was featured as “Sonnenstein” in the popular TV-series “Der Bergdoktor”. The house, which was built on a hill north of the village Wildermieming is an important travel destination. It was preserved after the end of shooting in 1998 as a tourist attraction by the municipality and the Mieming tourist office – until today it attracts many (coach) guests from near and far, who stop by and visit the nearby cafes and restaurants. “The Bergdoktor”-bike trail connects Telfs to Wildermieming through to the Gurgl valley. This bike trail on the Mieming Plateau is altogether 30 km long and leads through the area’s well-kept nature, passing the “Bergdoktor”-House.

“Der Bergdoktor II”: The film village Ellmau in the mountain range Wilder Kaiser
The tourist office Wilder Kaiser relies film tourism in the Wilder Kaiser region – “Der Bergdoktor”, “Wilder Kaiser”, “Ruf der Berge” and many music shows are communicated via website, press releases, advertising media, trade-fair appearance etc.. Especially the well-known TV-Series “Der Bergdoktor”, which has been shot since 2007 in Ellmau, Going and Söll, is in the spotlight: the tourist office provides different offers for film tourists, e.g. hike tours to the main sets “Bergdoktor”-House and “Gruberhof”, e-bike tours, horse buggy rides, winter hikes as well as the Ellmau film hike, the (culinary) tractor ride to the “Bergdoktor”-House and fan weeks including a “Meet & Greet” with the actors; the New Year’s speech in Ellmau for guests and locals in 2010 was held by the main actor of the “Bergdoktor” Hans Sigl.

SOKO Kitzbühel fan hike
Since more than 18 years Kitzbühel and its surroundings is the shooting location for the very well-known Austrian crime TV-series „SOKO Kitzbühel“. Fans can join the stars of the popular TV series during the exclusive „SOKO Kitzbühel” fan hike in search of the show’s original locations. They can listen to anecdotes from 18 years of filming in the Gamsstadt, peek behind the scenes, and solve the „SOKO Kitzbühel“ fan-hike case along with the regular cast themselves. In addition to entertaining stories and interesting facts, you’ll be presented with exclusive funny anecdotes from the film set: https://www.kitzbuehel.com/it/news-and-events/top_events/soko-kitzbuhel-fan-hike-25/08/2018_te512064

SOKO Kitzbühel film tour
The “SOKO Kitzbühel film tour” was established for guests in the Kitzbühel Alps, so that they could follow the trails of the most successful Austrian crime TV-series every Tuesday in August and September. The tour started with a minimum of 7 and maximum of 23 persons, the registration was possible at the tourist office, this filmtouristic offer included a guided tour, the taxi costs, a snack at the Filzerhof and a souvenir photo.

The film region Kitzbühel Alps
The Kitzbühel Alps is one of the best sceneries for gorgeous films and TV productions. Numerous images of the Tirolean mountains went out into the world. The movie map of the Kitzbühel Alps shows where the various films were shot in the Kitzbühel Alps. The Kitzbühel Alps marketing has done research on these film productions supported by Cine Tirol and compiled a helpful guide of the movie locations.

Film press trip “Following the tracks of film productions through the Kitzbühel Alps”
In June 2011, the regional tourist offices of Kitzbühel and Wilder Kaiser invited around 20 media representatives from German-speaking countries on a film tourism press trip to the locations of the TV-series “SOKO Kitzbühel” and “Der Bergdoktor”.

ZDF interactive map: “Der Bergdoktor“ and “SOKO Kitzbühel“
The interactive map of the German broadcaster ZDF showed pictures of individual seasons, referencing respective film locations in Kitzbühel as well as Ellmau and surrounding areas.

Tyrolean Cineastic Experience 2021
The Tyrolean mountains have served as a backdrop for many international film productions. As part of the „Tyrolean Cineastic Experience“, you can follow in the footsteps of James Bond, the Bergdoktor and Bollywood productions through Tirol for four days. Further information on the programme is available at https://de.experience.tirol/bookings-checkout/tyrolean-cineastic-experience-2021.

Film-worthy scenery: Kaunertal Glacier
What makes the Kaunertal Valley so attractive for location scouts and producers? The Kaunertal Glacier Road, which leads right into the middle of the skiing area makes mostly remote film locations easy to reach due to the good road connection. This makes it easy to transport the extensive equipment right into the middle of the high Alpine nature. A selection of films made on the Kaunertal Glacier, among other places, is available to interested film tourists and those who want to become film tourists at https://www.kaunertaler-gletscher.at/en/kaunertal-glacier/winter/film-worthy-scenery.html.

App “Spurlos im Alpbachtal”
The Alpbachtal tourist office developed an app based on the TV-series “Wildbach”. Guided by the application, guests can visit the main sets while taking a hiking tour. Through the interactive game on the phone, they can experience the locations in an absolutely special way.

Daniel Brühl – the ambassador of Tirol
The German actor Daniel Brühl, who already in front of the camera in Tirol for the films “The Edukators” and “Die kommenden Tage”, was ambassador of the Tirolean alpine world in the summer of 2010. For the summer promotion campaign he was shooting in the Wilder Kaiser and the Wildschönau for two days, gave interviews and modelled for photo shootings. In September 2010, Daniel Brühl returned to Tirol. Then his fans had the chance to explore the Tirolean “Adlerweg”. The Tirol Tourist Board raffled an exclusive alpine “Meet & Greet” with the celebrity in the mountains via a separate website.

Exhibition “Downhill Racer” – Robert Redford in Kitzbühel with photographs of Rudolf Uthoff in the museum of Kitzbühel (2014)
In 1969, the US-American film-maker, Michael Ritchie, shot the feature film „Downhill Racer“ in front of the stunning scenery of the Hahnenkamm Race. The film starred none other than Robert Redford, Gene Hackman and Camilla Sparv. The film tells the story of a US-American ski racer who, after three years of competing in the World Cup, finally reaches the peak of his career by winning Gold at the Olympics. The most significant filming site was Kitzbühel: the critical Olympic race was shot on the Streif and the old town was the hub of social life. Almost 45 years later, Kitzbühel Museum has dedicated an exhibition to this event. This special display demonstrated the social environment of ski sport in the 1960s. The first part displayed 35 photographs taken at the Streif starting point and finishing area, recreating the film set atmosphere. The second part was dedicated to the film itself as well as the actual Hahnenkamm Races of 1969, featuring clips from “Downhill Racer” and select exhibits (film posters, pieces of equipment etc.). Joe Jay Jalbert, who was the stuntman in the film, was available to chat about his experiences as part of the exhibition.

Tirol’s tourist guides
The members of the association of Tirol’s tourist guides are pointing to the topic of film tourism already during their training. The guides include references to film productions and their filming spots during the tours.

Press conference “Tirol-Tatort: Ein Tod aus Afrika” at the Museum der Völker in Schwaz
The press conference during the production of “Tirol-Tatort: Tod aus Afrika”, based on the script of Felix Mitterer, starring Harald Krassnitzer, was organized in the Museum der Völker with its permanent exhibition about art and culture in Africa.

Film premieres in Tirol
With very committed assistance on the part of the regional tourit offices the film projects supported by Cine Tirol are shown to guests during premiere events, preferably near the real shooting locations. The successful premieres in the presence of the respective producers as well as cast and crew of the following films were particularly memorable: “Schandmal – Der Tote im Berg” and “Zugspitze – Berg der Kontraste” in Ehrwald, “The Chalet Girl” in St. Anton am Arlberg, “Death Run” in Ischgl, “Der Bergdoktor/Winterspecial” in the Kauner valley, “Tirol-Tatort: Baum der Erlösung” in Telfs, “Tirol-Tatort: Lohn der Arbeit” in Hall, “Hanna Hellmann” in Oberperfuss, “Der Metzger muss nachsitzen” and “Vollenden” in Innsbruck, “Der Meineidbauer” in Virgen, “Im Tal des Schweigens” in Sillian and “Gipfelsturm” in Matrei in East Tirol.

Film screenings at the Posthotel Achenkirch
The film “Agathe kanns nicht lassen: Alles oder nichts” starring Ruth Drexel, Maximilian Krückl, Sonja Kirchberger and Hans-Peter Korff was shot at the Posthotel Achenkirch and its neighborhood – the film is shown in the hotel’s own cinema hall twice a week and DVDs can be purchased at the reception: very successfully!

Filmmuseum Thiersee: Exhibition “Das Filmatelier am See – Thiersee und seine Filmgeschichte” and the adventure path “Tiroler Traumfabrik” around the Thiersee
The exhibition at the Passionshaus (theatre) in Thiersee documents Thiersee’s and Tirol’s fascinating film history of Thiersee and Tirol – during the summer months a diverse program with screenings and lectures is offered besides the presentation of rare exhibits and cinematographic objects. Through fun and games several stations around the Thiersee lake revive the moving and touching film history of Thiersee in the postwar years.

“Hollywood By Lake Thiersee”
From May to October 2019 you will be guided through the former “Hollywood of the Alps”. The themed film trail around Lake Thiersee provides fascinating information about how Thiersee became Europe´s film metropolis during the post-war era. Self-confidence, the courage to try new things and team spirit among the population transformed humble Thiersee into the film homeland of many famous films and actors such as Curd Jürgens and Paul Hörbiger.

Ed Sheeran´s Music Video „Perfect“
In October 2017, British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran was filming a new music video for his hit „Perfect“ on the Hintertux Glacier and in the Zillertal. In a very secret mission, every detail was planned meticulously a few days before the start of the shooting. Different scenes at various locations were on the program in the very short time. Amongst other locations the clip was shot at the panorama bar at Tuxer Fernerhaus, at the Sommerbergalm, at the Hohenhaus Tenne and at the train station of Mayrhofen. The world stars were especially impressed by the breathtaking backdrop at sunset, which was offered at the Gefrorene Wand at 3,250 metres above sea level. Even the perfectly groomed slopes were tested extensively at a night shoot and inspired the international film team. The final was a very elaborate shoot in Hintertux, where the road between the Hohenhaus Tenne and the Hotel Neuhintertux was transformed into a typical American Christmas landscape with countless colorful lights and movie snow. The video shoot to Ed Sheeran’s Song “Perfect” at Hintertux Glacier was a great spectacle for all participants and will remain an unforgettable experience. Thanks to the exceptional artist, the pictures from Hintertux are going around the world and offer a great advertising value for the entire region. Since November 9th, 2017 the great result can be watched here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vv-BfVoq4g – it already reached more than 3 billion views!
December 15th, 2017 will be remembered by 200 fans from all over the world – they were present at an exclusive Ed Sheeran concert in Hintertux. The 200 limited tickets for the free concert were drawn worldwide among fans who then travelled to Tyrol especially for this concert (e.g. Australia). A perfectly ambience was created in the Hohenhaus Tenne and blue cocktails were offered based on the current CD album cover. In the video Ed Sheeran tastes a pizza, so the guests were served pizza on this evening.

Tirol Movie Map
The Tirol Movie Map powered by Cine Tirol provides detailed information like content, production company, director, actors, camera, production design and reference to the location about selected film projects “made in Tirol” since 1909 until today. More information on www.cine.tirol.

Tirollywood
The Tirol Tourist Board developed a marketing cooperation with several regional tourist offices to promote their regions through films shot on location. Tirollywood includes the Ötztal valley with “James Bond 007 – SPECTRE”, Kitzbühel with the TV-series “SOKO Kitzbühel”, St. Anton am Arlberg with “The Chalet Girl”, Thiersee with “Das doppelte Lottchen”, Ellmau and Going am Wilden Kaiser with the TV-series “Der Bergdoktor”, Innsbruck with the “Geierwally” on the Hafelekar, Alpbachtal and the TV-series “Wildbach” and Hall with the Tirolean “Tatort: Lohn der Arbeit”. The information about each separate project is available on www.tirol.at/tirollywood.

Blog posts on www.tyrol.com:

Examples for film tourism in Austria (a selection):

Follow-up links on the topic of „film tourism“ (a selection):

Film tourism: Film as a promotional tool for tourism – Tirol sets an example

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