The hit HBO show has brought the beauty of Croatia into millions of homes, and the search engines are reflecting that interest.
Ever since Croatia was chosen as a filming location for the hit HBO show Game of Thrones, interest in the popular Adriatic tourist destination has been growing steadily among the legion of dedicated fans of the show.
The show, which started with filming in Dubrovnik and steadily expanded up the Dalmatian coast to Split and surrounding area, until filming was switched to other countries this year, has been heavily identified with Croatia as a result, and some recent data released by TripAdvisor shows just how popular one filming location has become in the wake of its international filmset status - Klis Fortress. According to Travel and Leisure:
"At the top of TripAdvisor’s list is Klis, Croatia (a village safeguarded by the namesake medieval fortress). TripAdvisor has seen a staggering 579 percent increase in search traffic for this historic citadel. Also gaining popular are the filming locations of Krka National Park (46 percent) and Trsteno, which saw a considerable 18 percent increase in search." Read the Travel and Leisure article in full.
Klis Fortress historically has been the gateway to Damatia and stands majestically overlooking Split. Since its inclusion in the show, tourism in Klis has increased considerably, with new and specialised Game of Thrones Tours emerging (you can check out TCN's impressions of one such tour from agency Vetus Itinera, which included UNESCO World Heritage Site Diocletian's Palace, Zrnovnica and Klis Fortress). Klis, which is famous for its lamb (and there are some excellent restaurants close to the fortress), is easily accessible by bus from Split, a short 15-minute ride (learn how to get there from Split).
While Croatia is already benefitting from the Game of Thrones effect, it is yet to reach its full potential, and tourism chiefs will be hoping that in the longer term, the effect on Croatian tourism can equal or surpass the 'Lord of the Rings' effect in New Zealand.
