France hoping to lure tourists via Hollywood

(AFP)
Updated: 2007-04-15 09:10

LOS ANGELES - Whether it is through the soaring grace of the Eiffel Tower or the breathtaking beauty of Provence, France is hoping to lure tourists by persuading Hollywood to shoot more films there.

An unprecedented alliance of French film and local government officials have descended on Los Angeles this week to attend the Locations Trade Show, an annual fair that puts potential film sites in the movie industry's shop window.

The rewards for regions which are successful in attracting a big-budget film production to shoot in their backyards are immense, according to Patrick Lamassoure, managing director of the French film commission, Film France.

"The direct income from foreign film productions in France was worth 100 million euros in 2005 and between 75 to 80 million euros in 2006," Lamassoure told AFP, adding that 50-60 percent of the money came from Hollywood.

Regional authorities in France were also increasingly aware of the benefits of attracting the film world, Lamassoure said.

A total of 19 companies and institutions from France were attending the Los Angeles trade fair whereas only three years ago there were none.

"A feature-length Hollywood production can generate around 300,000 euros a day to a local economy," Lamassoure said. "So you can imagine the benefits a month-long shoot can have."

The economic effects of a Hollywood film can be felt long after the camera crews have packed up their trailers and departed.

The Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur (PACA) region in southeast France hosted a 200-strong film crew during filming of the Ridley Scott-directed film "A Good Year" in 2005, starring Russell Crowe.

Although the movie was a box-office flop upon its release late last year, its visually ravishing portrayal of the Luberon countryside ensured that tourists have already begun asking for the whereabouts of the film's location.

"Cinema is a powerful tool for promoting tourism in our region," said Olivier Della Suda, the manager of the Provence tourism board, which seeks to attract big-spending American visitors in ever-greater numbers.

A recent study of tourists in France found that 62 percent had been "clearly" influenced by films when deciding their choice of holiday destination, according to Lamassoure.

With 76 million foreign visitors every year, France is the No.1 destination for tourists, an industry worth around 35 billion dollars ever year, Lamassoure said. The tourism sector's involvement gives the French film industry valuable marketing dollars, Lamassoure said.

However, France still faced strong opposition from other European countries which offered more generous tax incentives to studios, Lamassoure said.

"There are films which are supposed to be made in France and which go to our neighbors for purely tax reasons," he said, citing the example of Steven Spielberg's thriller "Munich," which saw the Hungarian capital Budapest transformed into Paris.