Picture this: a dinner by torchlight while sitting on straw-stuffed jute pillows, food served on terracotta plates and drinks in wooden chalice, heavy cutlery made out of forged iron…
Guests are carefully watched over by a dragon; well, maybe not a real dragon but one made out of papier-mâché, but it adds to the atmosphere created for exceptionally successful and popular Game of Thrones TV series’ fans who visit Split and take a tour of locations in the city and around it where the show is filmed.
Just over a year ago, Vetus Itinera Tour Agency from Split, encouraged by all the interest shown in Game of Thrones filming in Diocletian’s Palace Cellars and other locations, started organising tourist of these sites, additionally enriching the local tourist offer.
Daenerys’ double on Klis
A one-day tour starts in the Diocletian’s Palace Cellars, history and appearance of which perfectly match the fantastic world of Game of Thrones, continues in Žrnovnica, the filming location of Daenerys Targaryen’s faithful assistant and interpreter Madam Missandei’s bathing scene, and then moves to the quarry where battle scenes of the Game of Thrones fourth season were filmed. The visit to Žrnovnica and Antonica’s Mill enables guests to experience this region through its stunning nature and rich gastronomy, also offering them information about traditional flour milling.
The tour ends on the Fortress of Klis, where guests are welcomed by Daenerys’ double in company of her harmless dragon. After the tour, they can enjoy local delicacies with a spectacular view of Split and islands behind it.
The offer includes a five day tour of all Dalmatian locations where Game of Thrones was shot – King’s Landing or Dubrovnik, Trsteno Arboretum, Ston, Šibenik and Split. In addition to the series’ filming sites, other popular sites and attractions are visited as part of the tour and these include Hvar, Vis, Imotski and Krka Waterfalls, where visitors discover not only their natural beauties, but also the rich heritage and history of the area which are quite reminiscent of the Game of Throne’s fictitious world.
– Guest already visiting Split and the area opt for a one-day tour as they simply want to use this opportunity and include local Game of Thrones filming sites into their itinerary. However, five day tours are the reason why guests who book them come here – says Ivana Kovačević, “Vetus Itinera” Tourist Agency owner.
Game of Thrones fans come to Dalmatia from all over the world, following footsteps of their favourite heroes. Even though there is a growing number of those who, with more or less success, offer filming site tours, there is still an impression that Split and Dalmatia have not fully used the tourist potential of Game of Thrones’ global popularity and that so much more could and can be done to attract even more visitors.
Even more can be done
The latter cannot be applied to Dubrovnik as its residents really did a good job there. For example, an iron throne replica has recently been placed in the Visitor Centre of the Benedictine Monastery in Lokrum, visited by heaps of tourists eager to get their picture taken on it since day one. The investment is worth around 200,000 kuna and it will be paid off within a year.
Split and Dalmatia could have followed suit of Dubrovnik and other countries where the popular show is filmed, and make use of the phenomenon more – they could have arranged for a part of the set to be kept on Duilovo or maybe also create a throne replica and place it into Diocletian’s Palace Cellars. However, the most important thing would be to include Game of Thrones into tourist campaigns aimed at foreign markets. It seems that foreign magazines, websites and other media praise us and popularise us as a Game of Thrones filming site more than we do it ourselves.
Taking into account that in 2014 more than 45 million tourists from all over the world chose their holiday destination primarily based on the fact that that is where their favourite film or TV show was made, it would surely pay off to make an effort regarding obtaining a more significant financial benefit from Game of Thrones, making the best of the opportunity that presented itself so wonderfully.
Great world tour of all locations
How long is the interest in Game of Thrones filming sites in Dalmatia expected to last? It is difficult to make such predictions, but judging by the huge business developed by New Zealand based on Lord of the Rings serial and later The Hobbit, there’s hardly any fear that these sites might lose their appeal any time soon, primarily because Game of Thrones will be filmed for at least three more seasons, maybe more.
– The interest will also depend on what we offer tourists, and how we offer it – said Ivana Kovačević, whose Vetus Itinera Agency plans to offer, in cooperation with foreign agencies, a grand tour of all Game of Thrones filming locations – in Ireland, Morocco, Iceland, Malta, Spain and, of course, Croatia.
