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‘the last tourist’: the documentary that every traveler should watch.

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A man carries a dolphin over his shoulder; naked tourists drunkenly walk along a town’s main street, oblivious to the outrage of local people; a tourist laughs about having just kicked over ancient rocks in a sacred site. These are some of the shocking scenes by tourists, brazenly filmed as ‘larks’ on their phones, and exposed in a new responsible travel documentary, The Last Tourist , released in the UK and Ireland this week.

While these scenes are at the extreme end of irresponsible tourism, they demonstrate the unthinking nature that tourism can bring. Shining a spotlight on the impact of mass tourism on local communities, wildlife and the environment, The Last Tourist works to challenge travelers to rethink their holiday habits. Directed and written by Tyson Sadler, and produced by Bruce Poon Tip, founder of community tourism pioneer and adventure operator, G Adventures , the feature-length documentary pulls back the curtain on the travel and tourism industry. It reveals the impact of over-tourism in ‘honeypot’ destinations, as well as how many travel experiences are actually extremely disconnected from the destination that people find themselves in.

The Last Tourist: examining how travel has 'lost its way'

“When we think about the effects of over-tourism,” says Bruce Poon Tip, “Venice is the poster child but, when we look at remote communities, 100 people could equate to mean over-tourism and this can have a devasting effect on the future of a place and its people.” The film, he says, will serve to educate all of us on some of these facts and also shine a spotlight on the negative effects – often unseen and unfelt by tourists – of travelling the world.

“I don’t think The Last Tourist presents anything we didn’t already know,” continues Poon Tip. “But it’s about pushing people to think differently. We all know elephants shouldn’t kick soccer balls and monkeys shouldn’t ride motorbikes bikes, but when these things are presented on a screen in front of you, you’re forced to confront them and evaluate your actions”.

Bruce Poon Tip, executive producer of the film, and founder of G aDventures.

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He says: “As an immigrant, and over my many years of travel, I have seen first-hand the tension built between locals and the tourism industry in destinations like the Caribbean islands. Tourists are told by hotels, cruise companies and operators which shops they should or shouldn’t visit when in a destination, with locally owned options being avoided due to locals being ‘restless’. What travellers don’t realise is that the recommended shops are often partially owned by the operator or cruise line, or there’s a financial kick back. Of course the locals are disgruntled, because they’re not able to benefit from the tourism coming into their homes, consuming their resources or taking their lands.”

The film questions: are people simply travelling to take the iconic photo and to say 'I was here'?

Having already earned a number of awards globally, The Last Tourist brings together a number of first-hand stories to highlight the often well-intentioned, but harmful, practices many tourism experiences support. The film also features expert insights from leading travel and tourism visionaries including Dr. Jane Goodall (Jane Goodall Institute, United Nations Messenger of Peace), Lek Chailert (Save Elephant Foundation), Gary Knell (National Geographic), Meenu Vadera (Sakha Cabs For Women) and Melissa Matlow (World Animal Protection).

Dr. Jane Goodall (Jane Goodall Institute, United Nations Messenger of Peace) talks about the ... [+] pitfalls of the travel industry in the film.

“The Last Tourist demonstrates what a dire state the industry was in pre-pandemic and as travelers book their summer holidays it offers tangible ways they can have a positive impact while they are away,” adds Bruce Poon Tip.

“Historically, the focus in driving positive tourism has been on the operators to make changes, but in reality, it’s the consumers we need to demand a more responsible and sustainable industry. There’s an ongoing issue with travellers being motivated by price point, or amenities, as they then lose track of their values. Why should you suspend your values, just because you’ve gone on holiday?”

The disco0nect between the cruise industry and local communities is particularly felt in the ... [+] Caribbean, in destinations such as Jamaica's Montego Bay.

Amassing more than 400 hours of footage during filming across 16 countries, the thought-provoking documentary empowers audiences with the knowledge and inspiration to make a positive impact – and to fundamentally change the way they travel – by examining the history of modern tourism and revealing its consequences. The documentary explores alarming issues such as animals suffering for entertainment, orphaned children exploited for profit, and developing economies strained under the weight of foreign-owned hotel chains.

Bruce Poon Tip has the last word: “Ultimately, The Last Tourist documentary is a message of hope. The travel industry has the power to be truly transformational and the main takeaway is the realisation that travel is a privilege, not a right. Only a tiny percentage of the world’s population have the privilege to travel and with that privilege comes responsibility. We all have the power to drive change through the choices we make and where we choose to spend our money. The travel industry caters to demand and if the demand from travellers shifts towards more conscious and responsible experiences then the industry will respond.”

Rated the number two documentary on Apple TV in Canada when it launched last year, The Last Tourist is now available on Amazon and Apple TV, Sky, Vubiquity, Google, Microsoft and Rakuten. It is also currently playing on Delta Airlines and Emirates Airlines.

thelasttouristfilm.com

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'The Last Tourist' documentary reveals the dark side of tourism that 'can kill a place'

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A newly released documentary, The Last Tourist , shines a light on the dark side of tourism, and the true cost of taking a trip to some of the most popular travel destinations in the world.

“Tourism can kill a place,” the documentary states. “A place that was so beautiful can become overused, exploited and trashed.”

“Mass tourism has led to destruction of the very thing they have come to see.”

Filmmaker Tyson Sadler spent three years travelling to 14 different countries, interviewing travel experts, tour operators and academics to expose the real cost of travel on local communities, the environment and wildlife.

The Last Tourist starts out the documentary with Costas Christ, editor at large at National Geographic Traveler magazine. Christ tells the story about being the first tourist to Ko Pha Ngan in Thailand in 1979, sharing a photo and map, which then spread to more people visiting the location. Years later he saw thousands of people there, destroying the area to have parties.

Where The Last Tourist succeeds is its ability to not oversimplify the message to say, we shouldn’t be travelling, but rather, calls on the tourism industry to involve local communities in local tourism efforts, while also making travellers face the reality of their actions, imploring us to think more critically about how we travel.

Arnie Weissman, editor in chief at Travel Weekly, presents the idea of over tourism, meaning too many people in the same “honeypot destinations” at the same time, which is too much for the landscape, environment and local people to manage.

Dr. Rachel Dodds, professor at Toronto’s 'X' University, states that in addition to travelling to the same places in larger numbers, what we expect when travelling has also shifted throughout time. Specifically now, tourists are looking for that great photo, or selfie, opportunity, with many travellers using their trip abroad as a “status symbol.”

'Tourism can perpetuate poverty by not integrating communities'

Cruise travel is an incredibly popular form of travel, even seeing significant rebound after widespread COVID-19 infections two years ago, and exemplifies that tourism is only beneficial for local communities if they’re actually involved.

Bruce Poon Tip, the founder of G Adventures, indicates that the cruise experience, some even equipped with go-karts on the ship, is more like transferring one Western experience to another location, instead of really immersing yourself in a new destination.

Dr. Martha Honey, executive director of the Center for Responsible Travel, highlighted that the goal of a cruise is to keep as much money flowing back to the ship as possible.

Cruise travellers are told where to shop and spend their money when they get off the boat, often being warned that they “can’t trust the locals” if they steer off the path of the cruise operator.

Similarly, all-inclusive vacations are the same in the way that there is no real integration with the community during the travel experience.

The Last Tourist shares that, for example in Kenya, about 14 per cent of travel revenue stays in the country, with the rest used for things like food that has to be brought in and foreign-owned hotels.

“Tourism can perpetuate poverty by not integrating communities,” Honey says.

'This wallet is a voter…sending a message'

The Last Tourist also addresses the brutal treatment of animals at popular wildlife attractions internationally.

“This wallet is a voter…sending a message, I like this, do more of this,” Jonathan Tourtellot, CEO of the Destination Stewardship Center says in the documentary.

Specifically looking at elephant attractions in Thailand, with people being able to get up close, and on top of, the elephants, Melissa Matlow, campaign director at World Animal Protection gets honest about what that really means.

“Any elephant that’s forced to give tourists rides, or perform circus-like tricks for them, was beaten into submission,” Matlow states, adding that this also leads to post-traumatic stress, seen physically by elephants swaying and pacing back and forth.

Elephants, from the time they are babies, are beaten to be trained to perform, oftentimes with their trunks tied so they don’t kill themselves, Sangduen Lek Chailert, founder of the Save Elephant Foundation reveals.

'Would this happen in your own country?'

Another striking aspect of The Last Tourist is really going behind the curtain of volunteer tourism, one of the fastest growing aspects of the industry that is often largely unregulated.

Clarissa Elakis, project coordinator for ChildSafe International, highlights the problem perfectly. Imagine a bus load of tourists coming into a school, disrupting class to play with a group of children, hold babies, give them candy and expect them to perform. Elakis asks, “would this happen in your own country?”

Through interviews with individuals who participated in these volunteer trips to places like Cambodia (experiences that exemplify a “saviour complex”), they now recognize that the affection they saw was evidence of an attachment disorder, making it harder for these kids to form healthy bonds later in life.

With COVID-19 stalling much of the global travel industry for a period of time, The Last Tourist presents an opportunity for travel lovers to move forward with their trips from a different perspective, tourism based on supporting local people and the local environment.

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'The Last Tourist' Film Will Make You Approach Travel Differently

The world needs travel, but not the kind of tourism that's being done now.

Katherine Martinko is an expert in sustainable living. She holds a degree in English Literature and History from the University of Toronto.

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You may have a niggling suspicion that the tourism industry is in bad shape. But until you watch " The Last Tourist ," a new documentary film, it may be difficult to pinpoint what exactly feels so uncomfortable about it. 

The film, written and directed by Tyson Sadler and produced by Bruce Poon Tip (also the founder of G Adventures ), is a feature-length production that dives deeply into the range of issues plaguing tourism today.

There's overtourism , which refers to having too many people in too few places that are unable to sustain such crowds. Think of St. Mark's Square in Venice on a summer day, the ruins of Machu Picchu, the ancient temples at Angkor Wat. These places are sometimes referred to as "honeypot destinations," where people want to go just to say they've been there. (This is a real phenomenon, as the film says 29% of Millennial travelers have said they wouldn't go to a destination if they couldn't post about it on Instagram.)

Making matters worse is the hedonistic attitude that so many people take with them to their vacation destinations. They're inclined to live more frivolously, to eat more, drink more, and shower longer, because they think the same rules don't apply as at home. This comes at a cost to the host communities, which may already be strapped for resources and often miss out on the financial benefits of tourism.

These lost benefits are particularly egregious for cruise ship destinations , where locals rarely make money from passengers' brief visits to shore—unless, as the film says, they've struck a deal with the cruise ship companies to be added to a recommended shopping map and pay out a commission.

The Last Tourist

It's clear that producer Bruce Poon Tip has little patience for cruises, and it's not hard to understand why after seeing the film footage of excessive consumption; one might even call it debauchery. "Maybe we should just think of another word for it, because it's not travel any more. Because you're being transplanted from one Western environment to another Western environment. So let's just call it a transfer of environments," he suggests on camera.

"The Last Tourist" takes a darker turn to reveal the cruelty against animals used for wildlife attractions, such as elephants, dolphins, tigers, and monkeys, in countries like Thailand. (National Geographic did a profound exposé on this in June 2019, called " The Hidden Cost of Wildlife Tourism .") Many tourists pay to attend shows that anthropomorphize the animals, making them do tricks that amuse the naïve audience greatly, or setting them up for selfies . What many may not realize is how unnatural these behaviors are for the animals and what's required to force them to do it. 

A similarly disturbing trend in tourism is that of volunteering in orphanages. Apparently it's one of the fastest growing sectors in tourism, with orphanages in Kenya, Cambodia, and elsewhere receiving a steady stream of volunteers who, despite their best intentions, show up for a few hours or days, get to know the kids, and then leave. This is a deeply troubling arrangement not least of all for the arrogance required to assume someone without education, training, linguistic ability, or even maturity has something to teach the kids, but also for the industry it perpetuates. 

The film states that 80% of children living in orphanages have at least one living parent, and that the number of orphanages in developing countries is increasing drastically in response to tourists' interest. Visitors show up by the busload, disturb classes, distribute candy, take selfies, and expect performances. It's a kind of entertainment that would never be acceptable in their home countries, so why is it allowed elsewhere? Judy Kepher-Gona, the Kenyan founder of Sustainable Travel & Tourism Agenda, says, "It's a mirror of what we do with animals in a zoo."

A New Way Forward

The latter part of the film has a hopeful tone. It looks at the transformative power of tourism—how it can help lift local people out of poverty and to promote conservation—as long as travelers ask the right questions of the places they visit, take time to learn, and realize that they are guests in somebody else's home and land.

As Poon Tip says, "The tourist has to understand the power they have. If people just took the time to do a bit of research on where their money's going, you have this ability to suddenly make your holiday a transformative experience for so many people who would be impacted by your decision to just go on holiday."

Jane Goodall, who appears throughout the film, agrees. "Responsible tourism can be really beneficial to the animals, to the environment, to the local people, to the government, and to the tourist."

We need people not to stop traveling, but to change the way they approach it. They should strive to be mindful, respectful, and to do extensive research before visiting to ensure their visit can have a greatest positive impact.

As Poon Tip told Treehugger over email, the film couldn't have been released at a more relevant time: "As the world opens up again more travellers are demonstrating a curiosity as to where their dollars are going. It only takes a small number of people to make the conscious decision to travel in a more responsible way to make a huge difference. Travel is a privilege not a right, and the feedback we are receiving following the film's U.S. release is very encouraging. I am hopeful it will help move the dial towards travel being a two-way experience for more people."

Some Parting Suggestions

• Tip generously. That's one of the best person-to-person activities you can do in a foreign country. 
• If you're visiting a social project or orphanage, ask yourself if this would be appropriate in your own country. If not, you probably shouldn't do it. 
• When it comes to exotic animals, if you can ride it, hug it, or take a selfie with it, there's a high likelihood it's cruel, so don't do it. 

"The Last Tourist" is now available on demand in the U.S. It launches in select theaters across Canada on April 1 and will be available for streaming there on April 5. See trailer below.

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Film Tourism Market

Market Survey on Film Tourism Market Covering Sales Outlook, Up-to-date Key Trends, Market Size and Forecast, Analysis of Tour Package Sales, Visitor Expenditure Outlook, Number of Trip Analysis, Market Statistics on Number of Arrivals and Departures, Statistics on Length of Visit

An In-depth Market Insights of Film Tourism Market including Film Sets, Destination, and Film Festivals Covering 30+ Countries like United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Norway, Sweden, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and Others

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Film Tourism Market Outlook (2023 to 2033)

As per newly released data by Future Market Insights (FMI), the film tourism market size is estimated to surpass US$ 66.9 million in 2023 and is projected to reach US$ 118.6 million by 2033, at a CAGR of 5.9% from 2023 to 2033.

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Film Tourism Market Historical Analysis (2018 to 2022) Vs. Forecast Outlook (2023 to 2033)

The film tourism market is estimated to grow at a steady rate during the forecast period. The growth can be attributed to several reasons, both international and domestic. The rise of pop culture and the immense consumer demand for related activities has been one of the key reasons. The increasing popularity of tours to film locations is due to the exposure such locations get from films, documentaries, TV series, etc. Local economies also benefit immensely from the exposure they get from film-induced tourism.

The overall outlook for the film tourism market looks bright and positive during the forecast period while creating opportunities for firms, helping local economies, and generating employment opportunities.

The Growing Trend of Cultural Tourism Gives Rise to Visitors in the Film Tourism Market.

The increasing trend of people wanting to immerse themselves in different cultures has been visible across the globe. This trend has been named cultural integration and has given rise to 'Culture Tourism,' which is the parent market for 'Film Tourism.' The demands of people to partake in the culture and experience the parts of films or series that they love provide an opportunity to generate revenue by providing such experiences. This is expected to help the film tourism market further.

The regional locations and otherwise non-tourist spots are expected to gain the most out of this. The local economy of Northern Ireland has been estimated to gain in excess of US$ 50 million in 2018 from the tourists visiting the location to see the sets and filming locations of the popular show 'Game of Thrones.'

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Globalization of Content and Ease of Travel Boosting the Market

The presence of content that caters to a wide category of audiences across the globe has been increasing due to the availability of streaming platforms and the internet. This has made the locations and production sets of such content very popular among tourists. The increasing disposable income of the target consumer audience has also helped in the surge of film tourism. The low cost of travel and ease of booking accommodations has also been a key factor in the growth of the market. Consumer demand has gone up due to these factors, making the current period the perfect opportunity to enter the market.

Category-wise Insights

Which is a highly preferred location type in the film tourism sector.

Film Sets are the Most Preferred Location Type in the Film Tourism Sector.

Film sets are one of the most preferred locations among tourists within the film tourism sector. This is due to the ease of booking and accommodations one can avail of while visiting these sets. They are regulated and kept in good condition by the respected film studios, also offering the tourists all-inclusive packages and tours of the film sets and related destinations. While famous destinations where films have been shot have also seen a surge in visitors, helping generate revenue for the local economies.

Which Booking Channel is Preferred by the Consumers in the Film Tourism Market?

Online Booking Channels Lead the Booking Channel Segmentation.

With the wide availability of the internet and the online presence of top firms operating in the market, the booking channels have mainly shifted towards the online mode of bookings. This rise is attributed due to the ever-increasing ease of using the online channel and the wide tour options one gets from these platforms. Hassle-free experience and the comfort of booking at your convenience are also the driving factors in this case. The online bookings channel is expected to keep on capturing the key market share and remain the most preferred.

What Tour Type is Famous Amongst Tourists in the Film Tourism Sector?

Packaged Traveler is the Most Prominent Category.

With several firms offering different services and all-inclusive packages, it has made the 'Packaged Traveller' the keyity category in the tour type segmentation. The firms offer film tourism packages with different activities, locations, and price ranges, helping satisfy the needs of the keyity of the consumer base without the need for them to go through different channels for different services, saving them the hassle and cost. Thus making packaged travelers the norm in the film tourism sector.

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Country-wise Insights

Why is new zealand a popular destination for film tourism.

A Variety of Landscapes and Government Support Make New Zealand a Popular Destination for Film Tourism.

New Zealand has been a popular destination among production houses for filming due to a couple of key reasons; the primary reason is the wide availability of different landscapes for filming throughout New Zealand, and the other reason has been government incentives and the ease of getting permits.

Leading film productions like 'LOTR,' 'Chronicles of Narnia,' and the 'The Last Samurai' took place in different beautiful landscapes of New Zealand. The sets and locations used in these movies are famous among tourists, attracting thousands of tourists to New Zealand and creating a substantial amount of revenue for the local economy.

What Factor Drives the France Film Tourism Market?

Film Festivals are the Leading Driving Factor in the France Film Tourism Market.

France has always been viewed as an artistic country. It has been a boiling mixture pot of art, luxury, and philosophy. To celebrate this culture and tradition, France has many film festivals held annually. 'Cannes Film Festival,' which is among the three prominent film festivals in the world, is held every year in May in Cannes City, bringing in a lot of film enthusiasts, critics, and movie stars to the city. This, along with different film productions happening in France throughout the year, has also kept the film tourism sector in France growing and refreshed.

Which is the Most Prominent Feature of Film Tourism in the United States?

The Presence of Massive Production Sets and Film Studios is a Prominent Feature in the United States Market.

The United States is home to the oldest and a huge film industry by revenue, i.e., Hollywood, making it a prime spot for Film Tourism. The city of Los Angeles, California, is home to the biggest film studios in the world, like 'Warner Bros Studio,' 'Universal Studio,' '20th Century Fox Studio', and 'Paramount Studios' making it the hotspot for production sets and key filming activities. The 'Universal Studio Theme Park' is one of the key attractions in the city, bringing in tourists from all over the globe. Other popular destinations like New York, Atlanta, San Francisco, and Chicago also have visitors who want to experience the filming locations of their favorite films in real life.

Competitive Landscape

The key players are maintaining a competitive edge in the market by offering all-inclusive packages and saving tourists from the hassle of going through different channels for their tours. Government initiatives and investments are boosting the market and have also helped the firms improve their service offerings.

Recent Developments Observed by FMI:

• The Rajasthan government has released the Rajasthan Film Tourism Promotion Policy-2022 to promote Rajasthan as a key film destination in India and to increase tourism in the state. The state government developed one of its most notable tourist policies to capitalize on and maximize the state's rich tradition and culture.
• The fifth Global Film Tourism Conclave (GFTC) was officially launched in July 2022 at the Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach in Mumbai by Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Union Minister for Minority Affairs. The fifth GFTC was put on by the Ph.D. Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), in association with the Ministries of Tourism and Information & Broadcasting and has as its theme ‘Unleashing the Power of Cinematic Tourism.’
• The construction process of the Uttar Pradesh (UP) Government-backed UP Film City project began in 2022 in Sector-21 of the Yamuna Expressway Development Authority (YEIDA) area of Gautam Buddha Nagar district. This is expected to generate employment in the area, promote tourism, and help the firms in generating more revenue.

Key Players in the Global Market

• Tourism Film Destinations
• Scallywag Travel
• Onlocationtours

Scope of the Report

Film tourism market segmentation, by location type:.

• Destination
• Film Festivals

By Booking Channel:

• Phone Booking
• Online Booking
• In-person Booking

By Tourist Type:

• International

By Tour Type:

• Independent Traveler
• Package Traveler

By Consumer Orientation:

By age group:.

• 15 to 25 Years
• 26 to 35 Years
• 36 to 45 Years
• 46 to 55 Years
• 66 to 75 Years
• North America
• Latin America
• The Middle East & Africa (MEA)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the projected size of the film tourism market by 2033.

The global market size to reach US$ 118.6 million by 2033.

Which Region Holds High Lucrativeness?

North America is projected to emerge as a lucrative market.

What is the Growth Potential of the Film Tourism Market?

The growth potential of the film tourism market is 5.9% through 2033.

What Limits the Growth Potential of the Film Tourism Market?

The rising costs may likely to limit market growth.

How the United State is Driving in 2023?

The rising massive production and film sets driving the United States market.

Table of Content

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Travel Industry Today

The last tourist – a documentary on the pitfalls of overtourism.

The Last Tourist documentary addresses the damaging effects of overtourism, and offers tangible ways people can make necessary changes. Travel is at a tipping point. Tourists are unintentionally destroying the very things they have come to see.

Pre-pandemic, tourism was already beginning to impact the environment, wildlife, and vulnerable communities around the world. As international travel returns, we have been presented with an opportunity: COVID-19 forced a travel pause that has given the industry a chance to reset and rebuild in a more meaningful way, to deliver more enriching experiences to a more conscious consumer, and ultimately reshape modern-day tourism. The question is, will be take this opportunity to reboot, or just return to “normal” and continue on the same path of destruction?

Filmed in over 16 countries and guided by the world’s leading tourism and conservation visionaries, The Last Tourist reveals the real conditions and consequences of one of the largest industries worldwide. Told through the forgotten voices of those working in its shadow, the role of the modern tourist is on trial.

As the world acknowledges two years since the start of the pandemic, the travel industry is seeing strong signs of optimism with borders reopening around the world and travellers starting to pack their bags again. The two-year milestone is also an apt time to reflect on what the pause in mass tourism has taught us, and to reassess how travel can return in a more responsible and conscious way.

The documentary came well before the pandemic, but the timing of the documentary’s release could not be more relevant as the world’s borders reopen and people hopefully look to travel with more purpose and intention.

The Last Tourist empowers audiences with the knowledge and inspiration to make a positive impact, and fundamentally change the way we travel. During the cinematic journey viewers will meet local heroes who are leveraging tourism to preserve cultural heritage, sustain wildlife, and support the social and economic well-being of communities.

This will most likely be an eye-opening experience to the majority of “tourists” out there, and it comes at a time when travel is beginning to accelerate again, which could very well accelerate mass travel to even higher numbers than pre-pandemic levels. Although travel is a luxury for many people, there must be a drastic and immediate change in the mindset of travellers, and in particular “tourists”. Yes, there is a difference, many in fact.

Typically, a tourist wants to check off their bucket/Instagram photo list, they travel for the primary purpose of pleasure, they book locally in their home country with a travel agency, they prefer westernized accommodations and transportation methods, and tend to travel in groups. Whereby, a traveller often travels solo or with one other person, spends a longer period of time travelling, does a lot of their own research and books locally with companies at the destination they are travelling to, plans their own itinerary, and tries to submerse themselves in the local culture as much as they can.

The Last Tourist does a good job and bringing to light some of the atrocities of travel, and the pending doom of certain “tourist” sites, and the world itself.

Terms such as over-tourism and it’s opposite, sustainable and responsible tourism, are used throughout to try and educate viewers of the effects they have when booking travel. For instance, the tiny percentage of the total cost of your trip that ends up in local hands, and how buzz words can make travellers think they are doing a good thing, when in reality they are doing more harm. Some are obvious, like visiting any facility that uses animals for entertainment purposes only, while others not so obvious, like volunteering at local orphanages.

There are several well-spoken individuals who appear in the film, offering personal insight and recommendations on how we can curb the decline of tourism, and reclaim it in a responsible manner with added sustainability. Travel is one of the best educational tools humans have, and it would be horrible to lose ground on this for the sake of uninformed or uncaring “tourists”.

The pandemic caused us to pause, and give the earth a break from mass tourism, so let’s look at lessons learned and what can be done to NOT return to normal. Small steps can lead to big changes, and for those willing to try, here’s a challenge for you. Next time you travel, bring your own reusable coffee mug and water bottle, if you don’t already. Let’s aim for safe and healthy travels for all future generations, by making changes today.

Executive produced by Bruce Poon Tip, the founder of community tourism pioneer and adventure operator, G Adventures, and directed and written by Tyson Sadler, The Last Tourist features leading travel and tourism visionaries including Dr. Jane Goodall (Jane Goodall Institute, United Nations Messenger of Peace), Lek Chailert (Save Elephant Foundation), Gary Knell (National Geographic), Meenu Vadera (Sakha Cabs For Women) and Melissa Matlow (World Animal Protection).

The Last Tourist had its world premiere at the Vancouver International Film Festival, and is released by Elevation Pictures in Canada via digital and on-demand platforms including on Apple TV and Amazon.

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The Documentarian as Tourist: Travel and Representation in Documentary

by Merritt Mecham

Documentary film has long been associated with travel and culture. However, some historical examples of documentary have been problematic, leading to a denigration of the documentary ideals with their “outside looking in” sensibility. As film tourism becomes a rising field of interest, this portion of documentary history is in danger of repetition unless documentarians utilize the nobler ideas of documentary in order to cultivate a deeper understanding between people, filmmaker, and audience.

Film and travel have long been companions. When the Lumière brothers successfully created a portable camera, they promptly traveled the world in order to collect footage. Documentary film, specifically, has been linked to exploration from its beginning when film was still closely tied with the “cinema of attractions,” as documentary historian Bill Nichols describes: “Safari films and travelogues on everything from surfing to architecture rely heavily on this exhibitionist impulse…Clearly an element of documentary film, this ‘cabinet of curious attractions’ is often treated as an embarrassing fellow traveler rather than as a central component” (128). The exhibition element of travel in documentary, though ever present, has often been seen as one that is degrading, as it is more closely tied to sensationalism than the more noble ideals of documentary. The ethnographic or travel genre of documentary has been particularly problematic as it is associated with the objectification and misrepresentation of peoples and cultures due to an “outsider looking in” perspective and corporate sponsorship. As film tourism is increasing in popularity and becoming a profitable industry, the consequential renaissance of the travel documentary is in danger of repeating the mistakes of earlier travel film unless the focus of these documentaries is turned away from the exhibitionist style to instead focus on cultivating a deeper understanding for the audience. In the movie Casino, Joe Pesci’s character is playing late-night blackjack while waiting for a marker.

The first films followed the tradition of vaudeville shows, carnivals, and exhibitions. To explore these novelties, filmmakers used both the Lumière brothers’ cinématographe as well as Thomas Edison’s Black Maria . As the Lumière brothers’ careers grew, they travelled all over the globe in order to capture worldwide culture on film. Lumière programs featured scenes from all over; for example, one program included “A Gondola Scene in Venice,” “The Fish Market at Marseilles, France,” and “The Bath of Minerva at Milan, Italy” (Barnouw 13). These films, originally called actualités, were soon more widely referred to as expedition films, or travelogues. Often seen as a sort of scientific document, they were very popular and added a certain element of class and erudition to whatever was showing alongside them. Consequently, wide audiences saw these films frequently, and the films became an excellent form of advertisement. It became standard for these expedition films to be funded by a larger corporate force, most often a government. The films proved useful to cast a positive light on imperialism, but they were more often used by companies and government tourist boards to increase tourist activity. As companies realized the travelogue could literally act like a moving postcard, they moved in and quickly took advantage of the technology:

The London & North Western Railway Company sponsored films promoting the holiday highlights of Scotland and Wales in 1909, while Thomas Cook backed a film about travelling the Nile (Moonlight Trip on the Nile) in the same year. This trend continued with bodies such as the Travel and Industrial Development Association (TIDA) in the 1930s, and with Tourist Boards from all countries and regions up to the present. (Stewart)

Soon the majority of the travelogue genre was sponsored, and the objectivity practiced by early filmmakers like the Lumière brothers was lost.

Because these travelogue films were backed by a high level of sponsorship, the films were not so much scientific documents as they were advertisements. In many ways this became ethically problematic. The films were created with a definite “outsider looking in” aesthetic and therefore failed to fully explore the cultures and peoples they were presenting. In other words, there was no attempt to become a resident in the culture the documentarians were exploring, and so they treated the subject like a tourist, making the peoples and cultures a novelty and “other.” Additionally, because the films were made most often to persuade audiences to visit the area depicted, they were often contrived, representing a wishful reality. However, this failed to deter audiences. The films, though exploitative, were enormously popular due to the novelty of it all; the films, after all, had developed out of carnivals, with the indigenous people and traditions being portrayed with as much gimmick as a strong man or bearded lady.

As travelogues continued to develop as a popular documentary genre, other genres, such as the ethnographic film, began to explore the idea of travel as well. Robert Flaherty is largely responsible for the birth of this genre, though documentary was not yet a defined idea during the time he was making these films. After the widespread success of his first film Nanook of the North (1922), other filmmakers jumped at the opportunity of making these ethnographic films. However, Flaherty himself was aware of many issues surrounding this trend. As he travelled to different ancient nations, he would see the native peoples struggling as a result of imperialism and the intrusion of white, Western societies. Nevertheless, he felt he could do more good by making his films, saying, “I am not going to make films about what the white man has made of primitive peoples…What I want to show is the former majesty and character of these people” (Barnouw 45).

However, there was certainly a tendency to idolize the genre as well as the filmmaker. For example, Flaherty was a world figure and had an aura of romanticism surrounding him. This inevitably attracted criticism, beginning with Nanook of the North: “Observers (starting with John Grierson) would come to accuse Flaherty of ignoring reality in favor of a romance that was, for all its documentary value, irrelevant” (Duncan). While it is true that moments of the film are contrived, this does not lessen Flaherty’s ideals. Due to the newness of the genre, the idea of documentary ethics was not universal, and Flaherty sincerely attempted to portray his subjects realistically, often having them watch the footage and give input. However, the criticism of Flaherty has had its own staying power, and unfortunately ethnographic films made following Nanook of the North continued to tarnish the reputation of ethnographic films. While filmmakers attempted to make films to be the next Flaherty and achieve the same kind of lusty explorer status, they did quick jobs that went against Flaherty’s personal ethics and sullied the ethnographic film trend. Filmmakers would exploit their subjects, portraying them as savages and exposing them to danger in order to create a more commercial, entertaining film. The duo of Martin and Osa Johnson are a particularly troublesome example, as they made films that were focused on their own self-glorification, such as Among the Cannibals of the South Pacific (1918) and Jungle Adventures (1921). “Both Johnsons were constantly in sequence demonstrating their courage or wit,” and the whole tone of their films was demeaning and condescending; for example, Martin Johnson, for the sake of humor, would give a pygmy a cigar in order to watch him get sick, or purposefully burst a balloon just to frighten him (Barnouw 51). Through controversy and a consequent lack of interest, the Johnsons’ and others’ quests for celebrity brought the ethnographic film/explorer genre to a close.

At this time there was another emerging genre that focused on location and travel: the city symphony. The city symphony, while also focusing on social issues, capitalized on the movie industry as a whole. “In the 1920s the movies were still relatively young, and an evolving modernist aesthetic embraced all things new, sleek, fast, and urban. Not surprisingly, a common focus of the cinematic avant-garde during this era was on the power, complexity, and excitement of cities” (Handman).

The films—such as Berlin, Symphony of a Great City (1927) or Man with a Movie Camera (1929)—not only captured the excitement of the new film technology and avant-garde movement, but also encapsulated the excitement surrounding a modern, thriving city. City symphony films continued to evolve into a more mainstream mode of portrayal, making the films accessible to a more widespread audience. Film such as Rudy Burckhardt’s trilogy of New York City documentaries were a celebration of the city. Because Burckhardt was a Swedish immigrant, his films feature “images that sing the immensity of New York and the accomplishment of its architecture” as well as a focus on the vast diversity of the city, consequently making his films an invitation—a postcard—to experience New York City like the travelogues out of which the city symphony was born (MacDonald 6). However, the city symphony presents issues concerning the representation of people and location. Though representing a people was definitely not the aim of the city symphony, the focus on architecture and other modern structures caused the identity and individuality of the people to disappear. New York City, as seen through these films, is not a place where people live, but a place where a visitor can see grand architecture and large, faceless crowds. While this is an element of the very hustle and bustle the filmmakers were trying to present, there is still, in essence, an “outsider looking in” sensibility.

Despite the weaknesses of its early manifestations in ethnographies and city symphonies, the tradition of travel film has continued. The traditions of the travelogue film have become commonplace in Hollywood and more mainstream film and television, as Dana Benelli describes in her article “Hollywood and the Travelogue”:

The travelogue tradition constitutes a presence evidenced in the spectacle value manifest in any landscape imagery, even when it is a background to narrative action. It takes only such routine cinematic situations as camera placement at a great enough distance to allow the landscape to compete with narrative action for viewer attention, or screen duration of a shot which extends sufficiently to allow viewers to read its narrative content and then shift their attention to the background, for the always temptingly disruptive power of documentary to reveal its ongoing presence within the feature fiction film. (14)

What Dana Benelli describes is particularly evident in the currently popular fantasy genre—for example, the The Lord of the Rings trilogy features the landscape of New Zealand with wide, sweeping shots and a huge variety in location. Additionally, modern globalization is bringing travel back to the forefront. While they might not appear as often on the big screen, travelogues are a staple of television; examples include series led by Rick Steves or Michael Palin, or the Travel Channel and other channels focused entirely on tourism. Lastly, while some documentaries might not specifically be travelogues, they often use travelogue elements to create the more personal, essayistic documentaries that have become popular in recent documentary history: “Some modern filmmakers have been able to use aspects of the travelogue to create more personal, artistic works. Patrick Keiller’s London (1994) and Robinson in Space (1996) mix urban British landscapes with the more internal journey of the narrator” (Stewart). The travelogue and travel in general have had an undeniably lasting effect on both fiction and documentary film.

As for the future of the travelogue film, the options are wide and varied, and globalization will certainly keep travel in the public eye. With the growth of interactive interfaced documentaries, the possibilities for travel documentary and consequent film tourism have expanded. For example, companies like The Armchair Travel Company offer completely virtual tours (Utterson 200). In his exploration of the virtual, interactive possibilities for travelogue documentary, Andrew Utterson states “As paradigmatic documentary forms continue to evolve into virtual variants, it is no surprise that geographical actuality once again resurfaces as a primary subject of choice” (201). With documentary forms again gravitating toward the exploration of location, as seen in many online interactive documentaries such as the award-winning Hollow (2013), the integration of documentary and film tourism seems inevitable, as are the consequent problems.

Travel and location-based documentaries, such as the travelogues, ethnographic films, and city symphonies discussed above, are able to make locations attractive, and have had a near century-long association with the travel industry. Additionally, some of the elements inherent to the genre make documentary film the perfect way to induce film-related travel. Like fictional narratives, they use a “range of attributes that create emotional response—not simply about an interesting plot and/or characters, but grounded in the complex arrangement and organization of special effects, soundtracks and narrative” (Connell 1014). Through the use of direct address, education, story, and the long tradition of celebrating other cultures, tourist-based documentaries can be profitable and valuable. However, using documentary as tourism advertisement feels all too similar to the ethnographic films and city symphonies that proved to be problematic and impermanent. Using a film specifically for tourist purposes can too often result in a shallow, surface-level representation of another culture and can further perpetrate the “outsider looking in” mentality. However, while fiction films used for film tourism may cause tourists to view locations less as someone’s home and more as a novelty, documentary can more directly influence the audience in their view of reality. In fact, by paying attention to the rising tourist tendencies in film, documentaries can increase cultural understanding and solve many of the ethical problems surrounding travel film.

Film tourism can be defined as “a branch of cultural tourism, and refers to the growing interest and demand for locations which became popular due to their appearance in films and television series” (Tomala and Faber 149).  Film tourism has been around for years, beginning with the corporate sponsorship of travelogue films. However, academic research on the subject did not appear until the 1990s, and has only recently has gained attention; and it is still a critically under-researched field, especially as it concerns perception, cultural understanding, and behavioral implications (Hudson, Wang, and Gil 178). This branch of tourism is rapidly growing, especially in New Zealand and London where the economic effects have been documented: “The most recent research shows that films depicting the UK are responsible for attracting one in ten overseas tourists, generating approximately £2.1billion annually for the country’s economy” (“Screen Tourism”). When studied, the numbers have proven to be impressive, thus making film tourism a vendible field of research. The criteria for creating a film that will have a high potential for film-induced tourism is as follows:

The construction of a favorable destination impression is a formula of idyllic or extraordinary landscape qualities, a unique social and cultural vantage point and/or an image that tourists identify with and wish to explore or rediscover. Building on this work, [Film Scholars Riley and Van Doren] added the ingredients of storyline themes, exciting sequences and human relationships, suggesting that films create exotic worlds that can be recreated through a visit to the location where they were filmed. (Hudson, Wayne, and Gil, 179)

In other words, the ideal travel film will depict an appealing landscape that entices the audience through emotional involvement by including story and character.

Many documentaries certainly fit this description, and so it is no wonder that the tourism industry is capitalizing on them. The involvement of this industry does not bode well for travel documentary, as the commercial aspect is what brought expedition films to a close earlier in the century; it brings documentary dangerously close to repeating history. While the problem is serious, a complete departure from the tourism industry is impossible. Rather, the focus should be on creating documentary films that feature locations with the landscape and emotional involvement that film tourism requires while also using the more noble ideals of documentary to lessen the issues an “outsider looking in” perspective creates, cultivating instead a deep understanding of the location. In examining this, New York City proves to be a useful case study.

First, documentaries can quite literally act as a travel guide. While fiction films rarely slow down enough to explain the setting to the audience, this is built into documentary films in a variety of ways. Using a few of Bill Nichol’s documentary “modes,” as well as Broderick Fox’s multimedia mode, it is clear how documentary can be a travel guide. First, in the expository mode, documentary can act like a guidebook, much like a copy of a Lonely Planet guide. The expository mode is characterized by an argument, backed up with evidence usually given by a voice-over narrator. This mode gives both practical advice and contextualization for an area. This contextualization can help the audience, and later on the tourist, acclimate to an area. The film Megacities: New York is a good example of this expository mode of film in relation to travel. The film uses New York City’s subway system to take the audience around the city and reveal the city’s infrastructure and rhythm. Using the subway system provides practical information about New York City’s public transportation and additionally serves as contextualization for the tourist audience.

Second, there is what Nichols would call the observational mode, which is characterized by an unobtrusive use of the camera, leading to a direct observation and engagement with the subject. This mode provides a pseudo-travel experience for the audience, giving them a taste for what they could expect in the city and leading them to look beyond the tourist areas and view the location as both someone’s home and a place of history. The 1921 film Manhatta is an observational mode documentary that provides a distinct look at Manhattan. At the time the film was celebrated for its unique look at the city–establishing in part the New York known worldwide today: “The tall buildings, magnificent harbor, and great bridges of New York City have come to stand as icons for American confidence, ingenuity, and hard work” (“From Delight to Disaster” 22) . In this observational film, the audience has a chance to observe the city not just as a tourist but as an educated traveller. This is because the film draws attention to specific elements, most notably the architecture and modern infrastructures of the city. A differing example would be Frederick Wiseman’s film Central Park (1990), which gives the audience a window into the city to observe the characters that wander around this manmade oasis, allowing them to see the operations of daily life. This mode of documentary serves as both a “postcard”—being a brief, unique glimpse at a city that invites the viewer to come and partake—as well as a unique look into the daily life of a resident.

Third is the participatory mode, which focuses on the interaction between filmmaker and subject and is characterized by interviews between subject and filmmaker; Bennett Miller’s film The Cruise (1998) offers a good example. The film features the legendary New York City tour guide Timothy “Speed” Levitch. Miller participates in the making of the documentary by interviewing Levitch and following him around on the tour. In this mode, the audience literally gets to go on a tour around the city with Levitch. Even without the tour guide as subject, this mode allows the audience to participate in the documentary along with the filmmaker as he or she explores a tourist location. The added knowledge the audience can gain from a film such as this not only increases their understanding of the area, but also provides depth to the people they may meet as they travel.

Lastly, there is Fox’s multimedia mode of documentary—documentary explored through an online or virtual interface. The New York Times online documentary project One in 8 Million is an example of this multimedia mode. The project features a database of short profiles of people living throughout New York City. This mode garners a more personal engagement with the documentary, especially effective due to the fact that the audience must take action in order to explore the project. As viewers explore this online documentary, they can have personal, intimate interactions with each one of the people profiled; this gives the audience a humanizing look at the inhabitants of a location and a view of the area as someone’s home, rather than an exhibit.

Documentary can also provide the stories that make film-induced tourism so compelling, while simultaneously providing a more human look at the area. Just as a tourist may travel to New Zealand to be part of the story of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, so may a tourist travel in order to be part of the story they viewed in a documentary. The documentary Bill Cunningham in New York depicts the life of a fashion photographer. This character study prompted Roger Ebert to recommend the film because the character seemed so much like a friend: “Here is a good and joyous man who leads a life that is perfect for him, and how many people do we meet like that? This movie made me happy every moment I was watching it” (Ebert). As New York City is often seen as a cold and impersonal city, a documentary such as this—featuring a real person being amiable and genuine—could be invaluable for the tourist in viewing the area with a deepened understanding. In the article “The Influence of a Film on Destination Image and the Desire to Travel: a Cross-Cultural Comparison” the authors state, “The level of empathic involvement with the film characters may have impact on cognitive or affective components of destination image. In addition, familiarity, including cultural familiarity, may lead to a different perception of the destination portrayed in the film” (Hudson, Wayne, and Gil 181). In this way, documentary could be beneficial for more respectful tourism, as the perception of a destination could be led to include a better understanding of the people, history, and culture of an area–rather than leading to an “outsider looking in” perspective. In a similar vein, the stories in the film Dark Days (2000) by Marc Singer could prompt the tourist to view even the more intimidating, dangerous parts of New York City with an element of compassion and interest. This fulfills the criteria, previously discussed, for a good destination impression—fascinating locale, story, and human relationships—while also avoiding the ethical issues of earlier travel film.

Lastly, documentary can open the eyes of the tourist to new destinations and cultures that they might not previously have been aware of. As examined above, films can lead to an altered perception based on the emotional impact of the film, and travel documentaries can use this to their advantage. Because of the emotional connection an audience might have with a film, they may feel compelled to go to areas that are not so commercialized and encourage an audience to have more understanding and respect of the culture and people. For example, a tourist who enjoyed Manhatta (1921) might seek out the older, industrial parts of the city in order to be more involved with that film, whereas a documentary might additionally encourage the audience to respect an area and perhaps even serve the people there.

Eric Barnouw stated in his book Documentary that the documentary tradition started with Robert Flaherty, who wanted to “reveal wonders he had seen,” and that travel documentary could carry on this tradition (348). However, travel documentary films have, at this point, been somewhat taken over by the tourism industry. While the increased production of documentary is favorable, the genre is risking a repeated history, reiterating the mistakes that brought both extreme ethical issues and eventually the disappearance of the genre. On the other hand, both film tourism and documentary could benefit by embracing the intellectual and artistic possibilities of documentary, consequently giving the audience a greater understanding and appreciation of the area. Documentarians can avoid the ethical issues and increase audience understanding by acting as guides and storytellers for their viewers, leading the audience to view the world in a more compassionate, open way. This is truly the documentarian’s medium: “True Documentarians have a passion for what they find in images and sounds—which always seems to them more meaningful than anything they can invent… they present their version of the world” (Barnouw 348).  Standing on a century of films that feature the “outsider looking in,” documentary film can help the outsiders more completely and more sensitively engage with the world around them.

Works Cited

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Connell, Joanne. “Film tourism – Evolution, Progress and Prospects.” Tourism Management. 33.1 (2012): 1007-1029. Web. Nov. 26 2014.

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Handman, Gary. “City Symphonies.” Lib.berkely.edu. Library, University of California, Berkeley, 1996.  Web. Nov. 30 2014.

Hudson, Simon, Youcheng Wang, and Sergio Moreno Gil. “The Influence of a Film on Destination Image and the Desire to Travel: a Cross-Cultural Comparison.” International Journal of Tourism Research. 13.1 (2011): 177-190. Web. Nov. 26 2014.

MacDonald, Scott. “The City as the Country: The New York City Symphony from Rudy Burckhardt to Spike Lee.” Film Quarterly. 51.2 (1998): 2-20. Web. Nov. 26 2014.

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The Law and the Lawgiver Are One

Disneyland Daze

Film tourism

The answer to becoming part of your favourite movie?

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The following chapter will introduce the reader into the relatively new and growing tourism niche “Film Tourism” by giving you an overview of the whole topic. Film tourism can be defined as a branch of cultural tourism (Zimmermann, 2003, p.76) and refers to the growing interest and demand for locations which became popular due to their appearance in films and television series. In his interpretation, Zimmermann describes film tourism as all forms of travelling to destinations, which in general enable a connection with the world of film (Zimmermann, 2003, p.76).Further, it can be divided into three separate sub-categories, including film promotion tourism, travel film tourism4 and film induced tourism as illustrated in the diagram below. The third category will be the main focus in this chapter.

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Tomala, K., Faber, F. (2011). Film tourism. In: Papathanassis, A. (eds) The Long Tail of Tourism. Gabler. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-8349-6231-7_16

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What is Film Tourism?

For the past 100 years, cinema has inspired, entertained, and emotionally roused audiences across the globe. Today, it is the second most engaged with art form—trailing just behind music.

The incredibly unique thing about cinema, though, is that many of the locations which grace the silver screen are in fact real, physical locations on earth. This is the basis of film tourism.

Defining Film Tourism

As these places exist in the real world, viewers don’t need to simply fantasise about being  in  the movies when they can literally visit the locations.

Thus, film tourism (often known as film-induced tourism) is  described  as “tourist visits to a destination or attraction as a result of the destination being featured on television, video, or the cinema screen.”

Examples of Film Tourism

One of the most cited examples of film tourism is the impact of  The Lord of the Rings  trilogy in drawing tourists to New Zealand.  According to Tourism New Zealand , an average of 47,000 visitors each year visit a filming location, with 6% of visitors to the country citing  The Lord of the Rings  as their main or only reason for visiting the country.

Similarly, England’s Alnwick Castle—used for a number of iconic locations in the  Harry Potter  Series—experienced a  120% increase  in visitors after the release of the wizarding films. 

But film tourism doesn’t always have to correlate directly to visiting a specific set or film location seen on screen. It also describes the desire for individuals to visit countries or locations to experience their suggested beauty. 

For example, you may be surprised to hear that the release of  Frozen  resulted in a  37% increase  in tourism to Norway! While  Braveheart  sparked a 300% increase  in tourism to Scotland in the year follow its release, while  Troy inspired a similar occurrence , this time with an increase of 72%.

Regardless of how you look at it, seeing iconic, beautiful and amazing places on screen is definitely a driver of both local and international tourism. As such, we at Screen Destinations Rising support tourism boards and film commissions to establish the management and communication structures necessary to professionally map out film tourism campaigns.

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Related posts, eufcn location award 2020 finalists.

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Despite all the challenges and obstacles the coronavirus pandemic has brought on the film industry, opportunities for venues never considered before as potential film studios are on the rise.

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Second-Half Travels

Adventures of a Fifty-Something Cubicle Escapee

13 Best Travel Documentaries on Netflix (2023)

These Netflix documentaries about travel will pacify your wanderlust between trips as you explore the world from the comfort of your couch.

Here are some of the best travel documentaries on Netflix in the US as of July 24, 2023. Many are also available in other countries. Watch them while you can, because content disappears as licensing agreements expire.

Also, don’t miss the bonus list of travel documentaries on Amazon Prime below.

Table of Contents

Netflix Travel Documentaries

1. dark tourist.

Netflix meets Vice in this travelogue by New Zealand filmmaker David Farrier, who sets his sights on the world of dark tourism.

From a nuclear lake to a haunted forest, he visits macabre — and sometimes dangerous — tourist destinations around the world.

Countries : Various

2. Street Food: Latin America

Experiencing street food culture is one of the joys of travel. This mouth-watering docuseries travels to Latin America to meet the local stars of street food.

Countries : Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Peru, and Bolivia

3. Street Food: Asia

This inspiring series from the makers of Chef’s Table is as much about the compelling survival stories of these talented street chefs as it is about their signature dishes.

The first season takes the viewer to nine Asian destinations.

Countries : Thailand, Japan, India, Indonesia, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, the Philippines, and Vietnam

4. Pedal the World

Over the course of one memorable and adventure-filled year, German-born Felix Starck documents his 18,000-kilometer bicycle journey across 22 countries.

The Oscar-nominated heart-rending true story of the rangers risking their lives to save Africa’s most precious national park and its endangered gorillas.

Country: Congo

6. Chef’s Table

Each episode of this Emmy-nominated docuseries visits a different international location for an in-depth interview with one of the world’s most renowned chefs.

Creator David Gelb also directed the critically acclaimed Jiro Dreams of Sushi , and the two productions share a similar emotional and artistic sensibility hallmarked by compelling narratives and mesmerizingly beautiful cinematography.

7. Magical Andes

No English subtitles available for trailer – but you don’t need them to admire the stunning photography

From Argentina to Colombia, this inspiring documentary follows five characters who share their deep connection to South America’s majestic mountains.

Countries: Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia

8. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Chef David Chang brings his trademark irreverent humor and curiosity to Vancouver, Marrakech, Los Angeles, and Phnom Penh as he explores the culture and food accompanied by various celebrity guests.

Countries : Canada, Morocco, US, Cambodia

9. The Trader (Sovdagari)

At only 23 minutes, this award-winning documentary short provides a fascinating and poignant window into impoverished rural life in post-Soviet Georgia.

The camera follows a traveling trader as he sells secondhand goods in exchange for potatoes. Beautiful cinematography that captures the stark Georgian landscape.

Country: Georgia

10. Ugly Delicious

Smart-ass chef David Chang leads his buddies on a mouthwatering, cross-cultural hunt for the world’s most satisfying grub.

Each episode of this highly original show tackles a topic like tacos, pizza, or dumplings, examining its cultural and culinary history and visiting different countries to compare how it’s made.

Warning: Chang can be obnoxious, and racial and political commentary is liberally sprinkled throughout the show, which may not be to everyone’s taste.

11. Period. End of Sentence.

This Oscar-winning documentary short takes us to rural India, where local women fight the stigma surrounding menstruation by manufacturing low-cost sanitary pads.

Country: India

12. Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat

Based on Samin Nosrat’s best-selling book, this visually stunning series travels to the home kitchens of Italy, the southern islands of Japan, the heat of the Yucatán, and to Berkeley’s Chez Panisse.

Samin’s contagious laugh and genuine passion for cooking inspire as she explores the central principles of what makes food delicious.

Countries: Italy, Japan, Mexico, United States

13. Taco Chronicles

Note: No English subtitles available for YouTube trailer; click to watch subtitled trailer on Netflix Warning: Don’t watch if you’re hungry. Explore the complex histories of the world’s most beloved tacos in this love letter to the iconic handheld food.

Country : Mexico

Travel Documentaries on Amazon Prime

See below for some of the best travel documentaries on Amazon Prime Video. I’ve indicated whether each is free to Prime members or available for rental.

Note that these films may also be found at your local library.

A Map for Saturday

Classic travel documentary that follows a variety of solo budget travelers — from teens to seniors — through 26 countries on four continents.

Young filmmaker Brook Silva-Braga trains his inquisitive lens on backpackers lending a hand to tsunami victims, trekkers forming brief but intense relationships, and fascinating moments of self-discovery and adventure.

Available for rental on Amazon Prime .

This inspiring documentary follows the record-breaking round-the-world voyage of Dutch teen Laura Dekker, youngest person ever to sail around the world alone.

Available for free to Prime members on Amazon Prime.

This beautifully filmed docu follows adventurer Jeff Johnson as he retraces the epic 1968 journey to Patagonia of his heroes Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins, legendary founders of The North Face and Patagonia sportswear and pioneering conservationists.

Along the way Johnson gets shipwrecked off Easter Island, surfs the longest wave of his life, and attempts to climb a Patagonian peak.

Available for free to Prime members on Amazon Prime .

Countries: Mexico, Chile

You may also like:

• Travel Essentials You Never Knew You Needed
• Netflix TV Shows and Movies Filmed in Morocco
• Best Russian Shows on Netflix and Amazon Prime
• German TV Series on Netflix and Amazon Prime

About Ingrid

Ingrid left software engineering at age 43 to devote herself to language learning and travel. Her goal is to speak seven languages fluently. Currently, she speaks English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and French, and is studying Italian.

Reader Interactions

July 5, 2018 at 3:56 pm

Definitely going to start ploughing my way through some of these before I head off next!! 🙂

July 5, 2018 at 10:38 pm

Definitely… Netflix travel shows provide some of my best inspiration! 😉

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What is film tourism and why does it matter?

Disclaimer: Some posts on Tourism Teacher may contain affiliate links. If you appreciate this content, you can show your support by making a purchase through these links or by buying me a coffee . Thank you for your support!

Film tourism is big- what is it, what impact does it have, and where are the best locations for it? Read on to find out…

What is film tourism?

How do movies affect tourism, positive impacts of film tourism, negative impacts of film tourism, james bond film tourism, game of thrones film tourism, indiana jones film tourism, lord of the rings film tourism, the beach film tourism, gladiator film tourism, harry potter studios, atlas film studios, universal studios, pinewood studios, film tourism- further reading.

Film tourism has been defined by the Scottish Tourist Board as being the business of attracting visitors through the portrayal of the place or a place’s storylines in film, video and television. People have seen a location in a movie and thought, I want to go there. This might be because they thought the destination was particularly beautiful, or because they *really* enjoyed the film and want to experience more of it in some way. It extends to TV shows, too, but film tourism is the name given to this phenomenon.

Movies affect tourism by offering another reason for a person to visit a particular location. Someone may have had no interest in visiting New Zealand, for example – until they saw Lord of the Rings and found out it was filmed there, and there are specific locations you can visit as a fan. Likewise, many people are drawn to Vis Island in Croatia because Mama Mia was filmed there .

Another way films affect tourism is by offering more avenues for income to be created. For example, gift shops and paid-for photo spots are becoming common in areas linked to particular films. Some companies are also offering specific guided tours of filming spots across certain cities.

Is this impact positive? In many ways, film tourism does have positive impacts. It works in both directions, too. Some people may be visiting a location anyway, then find out it is a filming location for a particular movie thanks to promotional material, the tours on offer and so on. This could then encourage them to watch the film when they may not have otherwise done so! Things like props, posters and signposting all impact the film industry in this way.

Of course, the biggest positive impact is for the location itself and the surrounding area(s). People are visiting destinations they may not have otherwise been interested in – and this means they are spending money. Whether that be with tour companies, local businesses, hotels and so on, money is flowing in. From this comes better jobs, a better standard of living and a sense of pride in the area.

By promoting themselves as a film location, areas are able to create a positive and fun image. The film is free publicity for them – and it is something that can continue to have an impact as more and more people watch the movie(s) over time. We’re talking years, especially if the film is particularly successful or becomes a cult classic.

It also encourages governments and citizens to work to protect the location, especially environmentally but also in terms of infrastructure. This is not only good for the visiting tourists , of course, but for the locals too!

Are there any negative impacts of film tourism? As with anything, there are negatives which can be explored alongside the many positive impacts. Firstly, destinations may not be prepared for a sudden influx of tourists if this shift happens very quickly. Destinations need time to ensure their roads are able to take a higher number of vehicles, and to make sure there are enough hotel rooms or other places to stay. Tour companies may feel under pressure to create tours, too.

There will likely be more traffic. This means roads could be congested, which is never good for the people who live there. More people also means less privacy, a frustration for many people who live in tourist-y areas. With film tourism, new destinations pop up all the time; this means you may have been living somewhere for decades without it being a popular visitor area and then one day, it suddenly is.

More vehicular traffic is, of course, an environmental impact of tourism . Air quality will decline and emissions will go up – all of this is a huge negative impact in terms of climate change. Extra footfall, more litter, and generally just a disrespect for nature can all have negative impacts on an area.

There is also the copyright issue to take into consideration. Some film franchises and studios will not allow areas to promote themselves with ties to the film or series itself; this means the location is seeing a higher number of visitors without being able to profit in their own (and usually the most beneficial) way.

Popular film-induced tourism destinations

There are so many locations which are popular with movie fans. You can see some major ones below!

James Bond fans flock to Thailand in order to visit Khao Phing Kan. This island featured in the 1974 movie The Man With The Golden Gun. Tour operators were quick to rebrand the island as ‘James Bond Island’ and almost overnight, Thailand became a popular destination for fans of 007.

There are two main locations visited by Game of Thrones fans looking to get a glimpse at where the series was filmed. The first is Northern Ireland , home to 25 filming locations such as Inch Abbey, Ballintoy Harbour and many more – you can do organised tours, or take yourself around for a few days and see how many you can tick off. There are self-guided driving routes available online and you’ll come across plenty of photo ops along the way… The second destination popular with GoT fans is Dubrovnik in beautiful Croatia ; again, organised tours are available or you can DIY it. From the setting of King’s Landing Harbour to Blackwater Bay, there are so many GoT filming locations here.

One film franchise with epic scenery has to be Indiana Jones. There are many places you can go to if you want to get in with Indy – the first of which is Cambodia. Head to the stunning Ta Prohm Temple, located at the Angkor Archaeological Park in Angkor Wat. This is where Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was filmed! As a bonus, it also features in Lara Croft’s Tomb Raider. The more you know! Visit as part of an organised tour to see it up close.

Petra in Jordan is another fantastic location for Indiana Jones fans. It featured in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade – and Indy definitely put the location on the map for many people.

New Zealand is heaven for Lord of the Rings fans. This epic book-turned-film trilogy was filmed here, with its lush greenery and endless mountains providing the perfect backdrop for bringing Middle Earth to life. You can visit the film set itself, now a permanent tourist attraction in Matamata, and you can see Mount Ngauruhoe (which masquerades as Mount Doom) too! Wellington, Canterbury and other areas are also used as filming locations for these epic movies, as well as for The Hobbit film trilogy.

The Beach, a Danny Boyle film from 2000, is set in Thailand. Maya Bay on Ko Phi Phi Leh is an absolute paradise – but it has been subject to too much tourism over the years and has only just re-opened to tourists. This is a clear negative impact of tourism, as discussed above. There are now rules and restrictions for visitors, meaning it will hopefully remain open to tourists for years to come in its natural – and beautiful – state.

If you thought Russell Crowe’s famous 2000 movie Gladiator was filmed in Rome , you’d be wrong. Film tourists hoping to experience a bit of this particular magic need to head to Morocco, Tunisia and Malta. Starting with Morocco, Gladiator fans can visit a city built into the side of a hill: Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the location used for ‘Zucchabar’. Malta, a historic military base, has many forts – and Fort Ricasoli played host to the cast of Gladiator for 19 weeks. Last but not least, Tunisia is also on the list of filming locations for the movie: specifically the El Jem amphitheatre.

Popular film studios for tourists

As well as larger areas such as towns or cities, or historic locations or pretty beaches, film tourism extends to studios. Many film studios are open to visitors for a fee, and you can easily visit and see props, sets and more!

The ‘Warner Bros. Studio Tour London’ is located in Watford, Hertfordshire – not far from London itself. This epic visitor centre is home to thousands of individual props from the film series, full-size set locations, a gift shop selling everything a Potter fan could want, and so much more. You can visit yourself, or book a guided tour which usually includes transport from London. Experience the magic of the Great Hall, ride in a ‘flying car’ and try a glass of delicious Butterbeer. It really is an experience you’ll never forget, whether you’re interested in how films are actually made or if you’re just a huge HP fan!

Cinema Studio Atlas, located in Ouarzazate in Morocco, is popular with film fans. This 30,000 sq metre film studio in the desert is open to visitors when there’s no filming on that day; if you want an authentic film studio experience, this is where you need to go! The Mummy (1999), Star Wars: A New Hope (1977), Black Hawk Down (2001) and many more have all been filmed here. It hasn’t necessarily been transformed into a tourist experience but if you want to see a real film set with original sets, this is where to go.

Now more famous as a theme park, California -based Universal Studios is in fact a fully working film studio. Here you can visit 13 city blocks across four acres of historic studio lot. It is actually the largest set construction project in studio history! The tour runs for around an hour, and gives you a real behind-the-scenes insight into Hollywood movie production.

Pinewood is another super-famous film studio. Located around 18 miles outside of London, it is not generally open to the public meaning it is less of a film tourism location. However, you *can* visit it as part of a TV audience or pre-arranged group visit.

If you enjoyed reading this article, I am sure that you will love these too!

• What is nature tourism and why is it so popular?
• What is disaster tourism and is it ethical?
• What is pro-poor tourism and why is it so great?
• Cultural tourism explained: What, why and where
• What is adventure tourism and why is it so big?

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30 Best Travel Documentaries & Series To Watch

• by Jonny Duncan
• October 20, 2023 December 7, 2023

We all need a bit of travel inspiration and these are some of the best travel documentaries that will give you some wanderlust, and understanding, of the regions of the world involved.

These are my favourite travel documentaries and series that have inspired my travels.

Disclaimer: I own none of the images in this post, they are used under fair-usage terms to discuss the travel documentaries.

Himalaya With Michael Palin (2004)

Michael Palin is my all-time favourite travel presenter, writer, and hell, just an awesome person in general and his travel documentaries are some of the best you can watch.

His sense of humour, interest in the places he visits, how he interacts with the local people, and the way he presents himself is what makes this travel journey one of the best.

Add to that epic Himalayan scenery and adventure and you have the perfect combination for the best travel documentary.

You can watch it here as well as some of his other travel documentaries.

The Endless Summer (1966)

Surfs up! And also lots of fun, fun, fun, in the sun.

Set in the mid-sixties it follows two surfers from California as they travel around the world, including countries like South Africa, Australia, and Ghana, in search of the ‘perfect wave’. 

It’s very laid back to watch and entertaining and a good insight into surfer travels in the sixties.

I would love to hit up some of the waves they found! If you want one of the best travel documentaries based around surfing and beaches then watch this.

Watch it online here .

Encounters at the End of the World (2009)

Want some cold weather viewing, beautiful scenery in the vast expanse of Antarctica, and some fun with scientists? This is it.

Filmmaker Werner Herzog tackles this perfectly, exploring the desolate and vast wilderness of Antarctica around the US base of McMurdo Station, and the people who live and work there.

This will make you want to go to a remote and cold place.

Watch it here .

Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown (2013 – 2018)

Anthony Bourdain was one of my travel heroes. He died in 2018. His style of reporting and meeting the people he visits around the world and coming together around a common theme worldwide, food, brought a personal approach to the travel genre.

Parts Unknown is one of the best travel documentaries to watch for food. 

The other series with Anthony Bourdain exploring world cuisine, such as No Reservations is also worth watching.

See it on Netflix here .

Under An Arctic Sky (2017)

This is a short travel documentary coming in at only 40 minutes, but worth the watch for sure.

I had been recommended this by a fellow travel blogger and was glad about it.

It’s beautifully shot in Iceland in winter, following a group of surfers looking for (as usual) the perfect waves. 

But a storm comes through during this time and they have to outrun it.

The first time surfers have been filmed under the Northern Lights.

This has made me want to return to Iceland again to explore more of the country in the Arctic darkness.

See what it’s like surfing under the Northern Lights !

Sahara With Michael Palin (2002)

Yes, another Michael Palin travel documentary. I can’t help it his journeys are just so good.

This time he’s out exploring the Sahara Desert, getting into remote adventures with tribal nomads, and so much more.

This will inspire you for a desert adventure.

Watch the epic Sahara journey here .

180° South (2010)

180° South follows Jeff Johnson, an adventurer who travels across South America to Patagonia to visit the places that Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins had visited in 1968, two people who had inspired him.

Easily one of the best travel documentaries about South America to see.

Chasing Coral (2017)

Chasing Coral is a documentary for anyone interested in the ocean and, given the title, especially coral reefs.

It follows scientists and divers who explore the coral areas to see why they are disappearing and to explain it all to you. A good conservationist documentary as well as one for travel to these beautiful parts of the world.

Billy Connolly’s World Tour of Australia (1996)

Billy Connolly is one of the great all-time stand-up comedians.

He also travels a lot and his ‘world tour’ series has taken him to lots of different countries around the world, with Australia being the best.

It’s a combination of him exploring Australia and what is there, with a great sense of humour for everything, as well as some short clips of his stand-up performances in each area he visits with views and opinions about his experience in Australia.

A must-see travel documentary for anyone interested in Australia with a very amusing outlook on travel there.

It ain’t cheap but if you’re a Billy Connolly fan, or want to give a gift to someone who is, this is the Billy Connolly box set of all his world tours.

Dark Tourist (2018)

For some people (myself included) there’s a strange and weird fascination with some of the ‘darker’ tourist spots to visit and dark tourism has become more popular.

From nuclear disaster zone tours to death-worshipping cults, this travel documentary covers them all.

It can be disturbing given the tragedy behind some of the events, but it is history, and it is part of humanity. 

To escape the ‘normal’ tourist spots this will give you an idea of an alternative travel experience.

Right or wrong it is fascinating.

See it on Netflix .

Given (2016)

This is such a unique and refreshing take on a travel documentary as it’s narrated by a six-year-old boy.

It follows a family from Kauai (part of Hawaii) on a journey through 15 countries around the world.

This a really good insight into family travel and the life-teaching experiences travel can have on young children.

Watch their website for the documentary.

Stephen Fry In America (2009)

Stephen Fry is one of my favourite comedians and in this travel series, he travels across the U.S. in search of what makes America.

Just like Billy Connolly and Michael Palin, there is lots of humour involved.

It gives a great insight into American culture.

This is one of the best travel documentaries to watch if planning a trip to the United States. 

Watch here .

The Eagle Huntress (2016)

One of those interested in Central Asia travel, this documentary is about a 13-year-old Kazakh girl called Aisholopan who wants to be an eagle hunter, the first female in her family for twelve generations to do it.

Beautiful scenery and an inspiring story make this a spellbinding travel documentary to watch.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2010)

Have an interest in sushi and Japanese food? Then this is the ultimate travel documentary for you.

It follows an 85-year-old sushi master called Jiro Ono and how he makes some of the best sushi in the world and tries to teach his son the way and the family business.

It’s one of the best documentaries about Japan to watch.

Baraka (1992)

Out of all the travel documentaries, this is one of the older ones but it has aged well. It’s also one of the most beautiful travel documentaries to watch.

The tagline is “A world beyond worlds”, and after watching it you will see why.

There is no narrative, just epic films from all over the world showing natural environments, cities and everything else.

Personally, I remember watching this in the 90s and being inspired to see the places it showed.

Happy People: A Year in the Taiga (2010)

Happy People: A Year in the Taiga is another Werner Herzog travel documentary that is absolutely brilliant if you have an interest in cold places and Siberia in particular.

It follows the people in a remote village in the Siberian Taiga region and shows the repeated way of life in how they deal with living in a harsh cold environment. It includes footage of some of the native Ket people as well.

Tawai: A Voice From The Forest (2017)

Out of all the travel documentaries, this is one of the best ones taking a look at indigenous people around the world.

Adventurer Bruce Parry explores the forests of the Amazon and Borneo, as well as the Isle of Skye in Scotland where he looks at the ways the native people get on with the nature around them.

Nomad: In the Footsteps of Bruce Chatwin (2019)

Nomad is yet again another one with Werner Herzog and this time it’s a much more personal one.

His good friend Bruce Chatwin, who was a well-known travel writer, died of AIDS in 1989 he left Werner his rucksack as a parting gift. Thirty Years after his death Werner heads out to explore places inspired by his friend’s travel life.

Maidentrip (2013)

Maidentrip will make you want to get a yacht and go on an adventure around the world! It’s about a 14-year-old sailor who leaves home for a 2-year journey around the world alone to become the youngest person to ever achieve such a task.

This is one of the best travel documentaries not just about yachting and boats but also about the determination of the human spirit to achieve something great.

Travel Man (2015 Onwards)

Travel Man is a great travel documentary series where each episode host Richard Ayoade visits a new city with a different celebrity to explore what the city has to offer in the way of tourist attractions and other things.

Lots of fun to watch and one of the best recent travel documentaries to see.

Fishpeople (2017)

Fishpeople is a group of stories about various individuals who have dedicated their lives to the sea. It includes a long-distance swimmer, surfers, and many more.

This is one to watch if you have an interest in anything related to life with the ocean.

Grand Tours of the Scottish Islands (2013 – 2016)

If you love Scotland or really want to go there then this is the ultimate Scottish travel series for you. The presenter is Paul Murton and he explores all around the Scottish Isles.

He also has other shows such as the Grand Tour of Scotland and Grand Tour of Scotlands Lochs. He really gets into the culture of Scotland.

Backpackingman note: I am of Scottish ancestry with my great-grandfather being a proper Scotsman from Aberdeen and I have visited Scotland a few times now and can highly recommend this series.

Rick Steves’ Europe (2000 – Onwards)

Rick Steves’ Europe is one of the longest-running travel documentary series out there, if not the longest.

Given the title of the show, it follows Rick as he travels around Europe showing everything the place has to offer. The series from 2018 focuses on Scotland so goes nicely with the Grand Tours of the Scottish Islands mentioned above.

Desert Runners (2013)

Desert Runners is the ultimate documentary about people who run in some of the harshest environments and in this case the desert.

But the twist to this story is that it explores a group of people who join the hardest ultra-marathon race series on the planet and none of them are professional runners.

Watch this one if you have an interest in deserts and running.

Down To Earth (2020)

Down To Earth is a travel documentary series on Netflix that follows actor Zac Efron to different parts of the world where he looks at the sustainability efforts of each destination.

For example, in Iceland, he learns about the efforts to use the natural energy of Earth for power.

Magical Andes (2020 – Onwards)

Magical Andes a travel documentary series is set in South America and takes a look at the Andes Mountain range, from the mountains themselves to the deserts, forests, and everything else that surrounds them

Highly recommended if you’ve ever wanted to visit South America and in particular the Andes region.

Expedition Happiness (2017)

Expedition Happiness follows a couple who get an old school bus and then drive throughout North America with their dog.

The couple is so lovely it’s worth watching just to see them and their life.

Free Solo (2018)

Free Solo follows Alex Honnold, a professional rock climber, as he attempts to be the first person to free solo climb El Capitan’s rock face.

It’s set in Yosemite National Park and is thrilling to watch not just for the action but also for the scenery. Watch this documentary if you are interested in mountain travel and rock climbing as a sport.

The Dawn Wall (2017)

Following on from Free Solo, The Dawn Wall is also set in Yosemite National Park, and this time follows Tommy Caldwell, a free climber, who tried to climb the Dawn Wall of El Capitan.

As with Free Solo, watch this one for mountains.

Mountain (2017)

The Mountain is one of the best travel documentaries about mountains and is breathtaking to watch.

It explores mountains around the world and tells at the same time the history between humans and mountains.

Notable Mention: BBC Planet Earth 1+2 (2006 + 2016)

The BBC Planet Earth series is absolutely beautifully filmed and epic to watch.

In each episode, they explore different parts of the planet, such as deserts, mountains, oceans, forests, etc.

There are also other travel documentaries by the BBC, like The Blue Planet, Frozen Planet, and a lot more. Each one shows a different side of our planet.

These will get you wanting to get out and see the world!

The Best Travel Documentaries

And that’s the list of the best travel documentaries that will hopefully give you some inspiration for your own travels.

Interested in more travel-related movies? Check out 10 movies to watch before travelling to Japan .

You can find some of the older travel documentaries on places like YouTube. In fact, YouTube is a great place to find new and old travel documentaries in general.

And for some travel reading 20 books to read set in the Arctic and Antarctic .

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Hi Jonny, this is Christian from Germany I pic you up from Zagreb 2008 and we travel to Germany by car. Later I visit you in Amsterdam. My speciality is Africa. Like to contact you again cause I cannot find you anymore on Couchsurfing. May I ask for your PM adress? see you Christian

Dark Tourist is the best part of this post ..

Oh, It’s too good. I like this blog very much I also bookmark this.

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Industry Interviews & Documentary

Medical tourism documentary – angels overseas, costa rica edition.

Deloitte has reported in 2012 that approximately 1.6 million Americans may have traveled internationally for healthcare, spending billions of dollars. The Medical Tourism Association® recently completed the first-ever medical tourism documentary that shows the story of Bob, one of the 50 million Americans without comprehensive health insurance who traveled to Costa Rica for a double knee replacement. Medical travel ultimately saved Bob $80,000. This patient documentary follows Bob as he leaves the United States with his wife, eventually engaging in tourism in Costa Rica, successfully completing his surgery, enduring the rehabilitation process, and ultimately returning home to the United States. Watch this medical tourism documentary and find out why so many Americans are traveling internationally for healthcare:

To View this Documentary Please Click Here

The documentary provides insight into the high quality of healthcare that Americans and other international travel patients can receive when they elect to seek treatment in a foreign country. This documentary demonstrates to global audiences the high quality of healthcare available in numerous countries. The MTA diligently worked on this project for over a year, with the sole goal of making available a patient’s actual experience. Free for public viewing on the official MTA website, the Medical Tourism Documentary is expected to be watched by patients, employers, insurance companies, and medical tourism facilitators. The MTA is committed to its mission of elevating the level of public awareness about medical tourism and believes grounded, human stories like this will play a significant role in bringing health travel into the international public consciousness..

If you or your hospital would like to be involved in a medical tourism documentary, please contact us at [email protected] .

MedicalTourism.com

MedicalTourism.com is a free, confidential, independent resource for patients and industry providers. Our mission is to provide a central portal where patients, medical tourism providers, hospitals, clinics, employers, and insurance companies can all find the information they need. Our site focuses on patients looking for specific knowledge in the fields of medical tourism, dental tourism, and health tourism.