Here are the newest destinations that are hitting the screens
This year brought new destinations to the screen.
As 2016 comes towards a close, Wego.com, the leading travel search site in the Asia Pacific and Middle East, reflects on some new destinations that starred in some of this year’s most popular film releases.
“At Wego, we’ve examined film tourism in the past and witnessed how movies and television have contributed directly to attracting and increasing visitors based on the location they were filmed in,” Chief Flights Officer for Wego, Dean Wicks said.
Here’s some destinations, and specific filming locations, that took centre stage in 2016:
Doctor Strange, Nepal
With twists of moral crusades and Eastern mysticism, the big action takes place in the Kathmandu Valley with the bustling commercial hub of Thamel and the gold-tipped stupas of Swayambhunath as a backdrop. The UNESCO-attested Pashupatinath Temple also featured heavily.
The film’s star, Benedict Cumberbatch, spoke of how filming on location in Nepal provided him with a detail he wouldn’t otherwise been able to achieve, shifting his mindset into the world of the mystical and strange.
The Revenant, Canada
The visceral and raw western, frontier vibe come alive amongst the peaks of Kananaskis Country which is part of the Canadian Rockies, near Calgary. Other scenes were shot at the Indian reserve at Stoney Nation and the Fortress Mountain Resort, just down the road from the beautiful Banff ski resorts.
Global warming was cited as a reason for the completion of the film shoot moving south to the ice fields of Argentina.
The Legend of Tarzan, Gabon
Not quite as wild as viewers might expect, the 2016 remake was shot mainly at the Warner Bros. Studios in Hertfordshire, England. A huge 100 foot collapsible pier and a working, tropical waterfall were created in the sound stages, however a six week session of filming did take place in Gabon in Central Africa.
For those inspired to seek out the real jungle experience visit the wilds of the Minkébé National Park to see gorillas and mountain elephants in some of the last remaining virgin rainforest in this part of Africa.
Hell or High Water, New Mexico
An acclaimed, modern-day western that premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, the film was set in West Texas but largely filmed in New Mexico. Scenic shots were filmed in the Alamogordo Valley, where the shifting dunes of the White Sands National Monument meet the cacti-spotted cottonwoods and plains of the Rio Grande rift.
Other scenes were in Guadalupe County and the state’s other more rustic locations – many of which retain the feel and atmosphere of the old west.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople, New Zealand
We know the beauty of New Zealand well as the backdrop for the Lord of the Rings films, and in this film local director Taika Waititi does its natural beauty great justice.
Filmed mostly in the North Island Volcanic Plateau and the Waitakere Ranges near Auckland. The Plateau is where you’ll find the gushing geysers and mud pools of the Taupo Volcanic Zone and the outdoorsy town of Rotorua, with the Hobbiton movie set close by.
Waitakere Ranges are lined with majestic black sand beaches and famed surfing spots, Te Henga and Piha. Its hills are also the location of the 77 km Hillary Trail, named in honour of Edmund Hillary; the first man (and New Zealander) to climb Mt Everest.
Westworld, Utah
The backcountry featured in this sci-fi western include the breathtaking vistas of the quintessential American west – hoodoos, canyons and red-hued tabletop mountains.
Most notable locations include Fisher Valley and Castle Valley, northeast of Moab. The first is famed for the rugged Fisher Tower; tall pillars of rock that look a little like creatures and strange objects.
Castle Valley is known for its ribbed, rock bluffs and red, rocky mountains that resemble giant natural castles.
Manchester by the Sea, New England
With the somewhat haunting atmosphere of New England, filming was undertaken in the towns of Gloucester and Salem. It’s an historical area and Gloucester exudes an authentic artsy vibe and is filled with galleries. On the town’s outskirts is the awesome Hammond Castle.
Salem is well known thanks to its witching history, and was also the setting for Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible.Home to the timber House of the Seven Gables made famous by Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel of the same name.
You can take tours related to witchcraft and visit the Pioneer Village deep in the woods; America’s first living museum that recreates the life of Puritans and the first English settlers on the coast.
Rams, Iceland
With an already elevated profile thanks to The Secret Life of Walter Mitty which featured Iceland’s stunning countryside, Rams was filmed on location in the remote northern valley of Bárðardalur.
Mother nature is harsh and beautiful in this quiet, rural region – visit the breathtaking Goðafoss, a 12 meter dramatic waterfall and watch the awesome Northern Lights dance across the sky.
Eyjafjördur Fjord carves its way inland from the sea, and the coastal city of Akureyri is filled with cozy cafes and seafood eateries.
Love & Friendship, Dublin
Filmed just outside of Dublin, Donabate, a small coastal town in Fingal was the backdrop for this 18th century romance, with its hearty country pubs and stunning cliff walks.
Newbridge Estate was the primary filming location with its Georgian architecture, regal gardens and the ancestral home of the Cobbe family. It’s also where the famed Cobbe portrait of Shakespeare was found – said to be the last remaining image of the bard.
La La Land, Los Angeles
Possibly one of the most location-filled films on the list, La La Land featured a whopping 60 individual filming locations to breathe a real sense of authenticity into the movie.
The reasonably far flung reaches of the Hollywood Hills and Santa Monica Mountains were included which ensures a good view of the famed Hollywood sign. Cultural centre Pasadena and the striking Colorado Street Bridge also feature.
The urban ruggedness of Angels Flight, a disused funicular railway in Bunker Hill provides some contrast, and there’s a metaphor-loaded moment when Gosling and Stone (the film’s leads) ascend to the stars, which was suitably filmed at the Griffith Observatory.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
2016 Candada dublin england films Gabon hollywood iceland nepal New Destinations New England New Mexico new zealand utahLatest News
Collette goes off the beaten track with Canyon Country tour
To be clear TW is not advocating actually walking off the beaten track. Avoid the coyotes. Stay on the beaten track.
Intrepid & Korean Tourism Organisation team up to give agents a cooking masterclass
These guys learnt that Korean cooking is more than just putting kimchi on 2-minute noodles (as we once thought).
Winner, winner! Intrepid reveals the 9 lucky agents that won $2k
Who won the incentive? Which Intrepid trip will they spend it on? What day of the week is it again? Where am I? Huh?
Corporate Traveller reports 42% increase in Easter traffic this year
Business travellers just love Easter! Expect plenty of chocolate stained documents returning to the office on Tuesday.
Turbulent year wiped $384m off Qantas brand value: Report
Meanwhile, eating tuna at your desk can damage your own personal office brand value by several thousand dollars.
FAMIL: Room-Res & Singapore Tourism Board shows agents the Lion City’s roar
Click this article to see a man very impressed by a 20-layer chocolate cake. We're not kidding, he loved it!
Oceania Cruises offers sailors free pre-cruise hotel stay
Looking for ways to make your holidays as long as possible? Look no further.
Bonza launches new website to compliment app, agent portal
Does news about an airline's website fill you with ecstasy, glee and joy? Get your hit of the good stuff here.
MTA agents attends ‘Lunch ‘n’ Learn’ with AMA Waterways
When organising the event, Lunch 'n' Learn beat out Dinner 'n' Divulge and Breakfast 'n' Banter. Understandably so.
Travelmarvel reveals 2025 South America tours
If you spot any typos in the newsletter today it is because TW became distracted Googling images of Machu Picchu.
Tourists from 5 countries could be BANNED from visiting Australia
Anthony Albanese's immigration laws could impact tourism from certain countries.
Just how many passengers will Qantas & Jetstar hop around this Easter?
Airline workers are ready for gleeful Easter travellers! Also prepared for sticky children with chocolate on their face.
Air New Zealand gets ready for bumper Easter weekend
Air NZ gears up for travelling passengers this Easter, while TW looks to beat our egg eating record. 117 here we come!
Four Seasons Yachts reveals first itineraries to the Caribbean & Mediterranean
These trips look so good we wish there were five seasons! Alright, we'll see ourselves out...
FAMIL: Travellers Choice treats top agents to the wonders of Rotorua
This one's got plenty of famil pics and no one looks shockingly hungover in them! Clearly no TW staffers were there.
European Waterways celebrates 50th anniversary with week-long founders cruise
Plan on celebrating your 50th anniversary with a bottle of Moët and fairy bread? European Waterways has better ideas.
100th route! Jetstar celebrates the launch of Brisbane-Avalon with 12 hour sale
Jetstar knocks a ton and celebrates with a sale while TW once scored a ton and celebrated with about 17 beers.
Record-breaking year for NSW as visitor expenditure soars past $50 billion
Enjoy running round the Opera House? Be prepared to elbow even more tourists out the way.
Norwegian Cruise Line makes play for solo travellers
NCL ensuring you don't have to go trawling Tinder to find a cruise partner. Thank goodness, we were sick of catfishing.
Entire Travel Group’s Canada and Europe 2024/25 brochures are out now
Entire's new brochure is bittersweet; it both informs your clients and makes you envious of the holiday they'll take.
Malaysia Airlines adds 3 new destinations & A330neo seats
More seats means cheaper airfares and more money to spend on overpriced airport sandwiches. Woohoo!
Two divine days onboard Crystal Serenity
It's only pure serenity onboard this ship. Anxiety, agitation and anguish have been rejected by the bouncer.
How the Globus Family of Brands elevates coach touring: Travel Weekly TV with Chris Fundell
Chris' here so you don't think coaches mean peeling your thighs off a sticky leather seat every time you stand up!
The Flight Centre Foundation gears up for massive 2024 with 3 new board members
The foundation looks to invest $200k this year, spurring the TW journos to figure out how to qualify as a charity.
Barking Owl Communications to head up Anantara & Avani in ANZ
Fellow PR competitors had been barking up the wrong tree even thinking of bidding for this job!
Amex GBT to purchase CWT for $871m
It's big deals like this that get a firm handshake - hence the sore hands over at the CWT and Amex GBT offices.
1000MTG’s second global conference reminds agents to ‘strive and thrive’
Alongside messages to 'strive' and 'thrive' were those to 'survive', 'drive', 'arrive' and 'jive' (when appropriate).
Qantas A330 makes “loud bang”, pilots forced to shut down one engine
Qantas refusing to let Boeing have all the headlines in aviation world today!
GX Community Tourism Summit 2024 location revealed!
The new location has arrived and it'll blow your socks off! Time for another trip to Target for more socks then.
Visiting the destination my Mum didn’t want me to
Yet again, this journo has been a stress to his mother. Discover how this trip spurred his mother's anxiety here.
Agents come out of their shells at P&O’s turtle hatchery event
For some, it's a few glasses of bubbles to lure them out of their shell. For these agents, it was a bit more literal.
Boeing cleanout: CEO, chair to go as safety crisis plagues the manufacturer
CEOs are falling thick and fast these days. We should have started up a bingo game with their headshots in the office.
Virgin looks to swap MAX 10 order for MAX 8s amid Boeing delays: Reports
Virgin has changed its order for something smaller. Much like we have to at Maccas following a worrying doctor's visit.
Club Med unveils newest luxury yacht for 2024/25 early bird sale
This yacht is preserved for the early birds! Night Owls may also get onboard depending how late they stay up.
Abercrombie & Kent 2024 Asia Portfolio is here
Round up the family and get planning an Asia jaunt. Or, if they're hard to handle, brush them all and go it alone!
Elevate your earnings: Final days to secure double commission with Inspiring Vacations’ March offer
What could inspire you to sell more Inspiring Vacations? Double commission of course! That's all the inspiration needed.