From Nuclear Disaster to Film Tourism

Abstract

The research explores how a well-known historical location associated with disaster tourism became a destination of film tourism. Thanks to the HBO miniseries, the nuclear accident zone around Chernobyl registered a record number of tourists in 2019. The study includes a complex tourism analysis of Chernobyl. The examination of the demand and supply sides of local film tourism is followed by an analysis of elements such as the number of visitors and the supply of thematic routes. The study also analyses interviews with local travel companies and information on their social media platforms. The clear aim of the research is to find out how a successful film may affect the tourism of a location. Using the results of the research, the study discusses how a site previously associated with disaster tourism utilizes the opportunities of film tourism, as well as the opportunities provided by a possible change of profile.