A new way to market your destination: Write a TV series Part 2

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Category: Lifestyle/Entertainment

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. scavenger hunt / ˈskæv ɪn dʒər  hʌnt / (n.) – a game where participants are given a list of objects to find in a certain place or area
    Example:

    The children ran all over the park as they went on a scavenger hunt.


  2. refer to (something) / rɪˈfɜr tʊ / (phrasal v.) – to talk or write about something, especially briefly
    Example:

    Yes, I referred to that company several times during my presentation, but I didn’t use their name at all.


  3. outside the box / ˈaʊtˌsaɪd ðə bɒks / (idiom) – in an unusual or creative way
    Example:

    I always try to think outside the box; I don’t want to do what everyone else does.


  4. get lost in (something) / gɛt lɔst ɪn / (idiom) – to pay full attention to something to the point that one forgets everything else
    Example:

    I try to get lost in a video game whenever I feel sad.


  5. get invested in (something) / gɛt ɪnˈvɛs tɪd ɪn / (idiom) – to care a lot about what happens to someone or something
    Example:

    It’s hard to put a book down when you get invested in the story.


Article

Read the text below.

Continued from Part 1…


At other times, the settings feel natural, like the gay nightclub Blur or a tour of the colorful WhimzeyLand “bowling ball house” in an episode featuring a scavenger hunt. Even the countless gratuitous beach shots mostly feel believable.


“I’m watching something and I’m drawn into the show because of the storyline, but also the places I’m seeing in front of me,” said Steve Hayes, president of Visit St. Pete Clearwater.


While sometimes awkward, the characters in Life’s Rewards refer to every destination in the scene by name. There were no fake dive bars or coffee shops.


The hospitality industry has been hit hard by the pandemic, and tourist towns are eager to seize on the new willingness to travel. That’s put more pressure on destinations to market outside the box.


“Every single destination in the world is now looking for that tourism boom,” said Alexandra Delf, executive vice president for London-based Grifco, a travel marketing firm.


Movie- and TV-inspired travel is so popular that the firm is using pandemic binge shows to promote its biggest clients. For instance, promotional ads note that scenes from Netflix’s Bridgerton were filmed near The Gainsborough Bath Spa in Bath, England.


The production company behind the Florida show said scripted shows are a new genre for travel marketing, and that they’re already in talks to shoot some for other cities in the state.


“We don’t want people to feel marketed to. We want them to feel lost in the storyline and get invested in the characters like any other show on streaming or TV, but we’re providing a positive context for our destination,” said Brianne Maciejowski, director of film and video for Odyssey Studios. (AP)


This article was provided by The Japan Times Alpha.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • The production company behind the Florida show said that they’re already in talks to shoot some shows for other cities. If you could create a scripted show to promote travel somewhere in your country, where would you choose? What kind of storyline would work for the area? Why? Discuss.
  • Do you think it’s important to increase tourism in your area right now? Why or why not? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • One travel marketing firm is using pandemic binge shows to promote its biggest clients. Aside from this, what can they do to increase tourism right now (ex. show what safety measures are being taken, give big discounts)? Why? Discuss.
  • According to Delf, “every single destination in the world is now looking for that tourism boom.” If you could travel safely anywhere in the world right now, where would you choose to go? Why? Discuss.