Are these Odyssey islands prepared for tourist surge in wake of new film?
The Greek island of Ithaca and the Italian island of Favignana are preparing for a potential surge in tourism following the release of a new film based on the Odyssey. While local businesses hope for economic growth, officials are concerned about the risks of overtourism and are developing cultural exhibitions to manage visitor expectations.
Why it matters
It highlights the 'film-induced tourism' phenomenon and the challenges small communities face when balancing economic opportunity with environmental and social preservation.
Standing on the ferry as it waits to dock on the Greek island of Ithaca, Giorgia Ongarato is only too keen to talk about the Odyssey – the epic poem about a hero battling his way back home from the Trojan War that inspired Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster film.
The Italian lawyer says it was her dream to come to Ithaca, widely believed to be the same island as the home of Odysseus in the poem.
Dressed in a T-shirt emblazoned with “odyssey” in ancient Greek alongside a line from the poem, she enthuses: “I studied Greek when I was a child, and I studied the Odyssey.”
The 50-year-old is also a fan of Nolan’s film, describing it as “wonderful”.
The island’s businesses and officials now expect the film to inspire many more to follow in her footsteps. They are not alone.
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