A key strength for Hertfordshire is attracting and delivering internationally acclaimed film and TV productions such as Harry Potter and The Crown, not only for studio filming but on-location filming too. This presents a huge opportunity for both our partners and the destination as a whole. With two leading film studios and the recent announcement of the planning submission for an additional three studios, Hertfordshire is becoming a hub for the filming industry.
Visit Herts have conducted a Screen Tourism Product Audit alongside expert Seren Welch, reviewing the strengths, opportunities, and gaps of screen tourism for the county. As part of the product audit, it was identified that Hertfordshire has a backlog of filming that has taken place across the destination. With both location filming and studio facilities, there are huge opportunities to develop a USP for Hertfordshire as a screen destination. Moving forwards, screen tourism continues to be a key priority for Visit Herts and will drive the destination strategy for recovery.
To ensure Hertfordshire is capitalising on the opportunities around screen tourism, Visit Herts will focus on four key areas that will help to position the area for future production opportunities as well as establish a USP as a screen tourism destination:
- Local Sector Partnership - Working with the creative sector and supporting tourism partners to help them capitalise on the opportunities from screen tourism.
- Support - The development of ‘how to’ information guides to inform and guide tourism partners on how they can capitalise on ‘screen business’ from facilitating filming to harnessing screen appeal to support their marketing.
- Lead role - for Visit Herts to turn screen tourism into a destination USP.
- Product development - Building and sustaining relationships by working in partnership across the tourism and non-tourism sector to create extension product. This could be via the development of itineraries and suggested weekend breaks combining location and studio visits with immersive dining or even escape room experiences.
Click here to download full Screen Tourism Product Audit
In the recent Herts Camera Action perceptions study, 32% of respondents claimed to associate Hertfordshire with film, TV and screen related experiences. This presents a huge opportunity for Hertfordshire to build upon this awareness of Hertfordshire’s role on screen by developing new experiential products to reach more elusive consumer segments. These experiential products will engage a younger audience, encouraging them to seek out landscapes and heritage locations, in addition to enticing international visitors to go off the beaten track. Screen tourism itinerary development and destination promotion will help connect film locations with town centres across Hertfordshire, using Hertfordshire’s wealth of filming locations as a catalyst to drive footfall and spend in local communities.
See all of our Screen Tourism content here
Film Tourism Toolkit
To support tourism businesses in Hertfordshire to ensure they are maximising filming opportunities, with the support of consultant Seren Welch and Filming in England. Visit Herts has pulled together a variety of resources packed with tips and advice for businesses, including actionable checklists to help with production company enquiries through to fully developing a screen tourism product.
Click Here to Download Screen Tourism Toolkit
Click Here to view Hertfordshire Futures Film and TV Strategy
Filming in England Partnership
We are proud to be a Filming in England Partner, welcoming filming to Hertfordshire and ensuring cooperation and commitment to assist Film and TV drama productions. The Filming in England Partnership exists to connect different organisations across England, outside of London, in order to create a film friendly environment.
Creative England have some useful resources:
Click Here to Download Filming in England Film home page
Click Here to download Locations Filming Guide
Click Here to download On-locations Strategy and Fees guide
Locations database
Hertfordshire has featured in films such as The Favourite (2018) and TV productions such as Bridgerton (2020 Netflix) and is becoming a popular location choice for production companies, hosting productions of all scales from period dramas to fantasy films such as Wonder Woman.
To continue to raise the profile of the stunning film friendly locations Hertfordshire has to offer and increase chances of being scouted for future filming, we are encouraging Hertfordshire Tourism businesses to register their location on the Filming in England Locations database for free.
Facilities Database
If you are an accommodation provider there are opportunities to provide services to film crews during filming. Registering to the Filming in England’s free facilities database creates opportunities to introduce your business to productions working on feature films and TV dramas in Hertfordshire.
In partnership with:
For all general enquiries, please contact the team via email at enquiries@visitherts.co.uk