Game of Thrones and the Northern Ireland economy

Here we are in the midst of the latest hype -- the last series of Game of Thrones is just starting, and the marketing process is well under way.......

Three years ago the economic impact in Northern Ireland was estimated at c £150m, and the figure by now will be substantially higher.  Tourism NI has worked hard at flagging up the key locations and in promoting a vast range of "ancillary" tourism-related activities, but of course there are very large economic impacts too in all sectors of the supply chain.  Filming a big series is an immensely complex business, providing incomes for many thousands of people in the filming neighbourhoods and much further afield.

  

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-36749938

For years I have been trying to flag up the potential significance for Wales of a big drama series set in Wales and telling the story of Wales --   but neither BBC Wales nor Visit Wales seems particularly interested, and I am not sure that the Welsh Government is either.

People keep on complaining about the very poor media portrayal of Wales and its story (see below) but nothing ever seems to be done about it.  There is more to Wales than natural history and rugby.

Fine words on all sides, but no initiatives.  The word "irritating" doesn't even begin to cover it........

https://www.iwa.wales/click/…/11/bbcs-portrayal-wales-welsh/

https://nation.cymru/…/the-pitching-in-disaster-shows-that…/

https://www.walesartsreview.org/sex-education-accidental-e…/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-47310251#

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-44385773

https://www.walesartsreview.org/tv-the-story-of-wales/…

https://nation.cymru/…/we-must-fight-back-against-a-popula…/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-47231099…

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/…/raymond-williams-question-w…

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-42871831

https://theconversation.com/were-seeing-plenty-of-welsh-loc…