RIYADH: Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” is proving to be more than a box-office hit, particularly in the Gulf, where it has drawn a sizable audience. The film’s global success has spotlighted Greece’s mythology-rich culture and breathtaking landscapes as never before.
News outlets across the world are dubbing this the “Odyssey effect,” referring to the way the feature film is influencing traveler behavior, with visitor numbers reportedly on the rise.
The UK’s Guardian newspaper warned of a tourism surge and the environmental pressures this could place on the Peloponnese, one of the film’s main backdrops. Euronews has issued similar cautions about Ithaca, which has not traditionally been a major tourist hotspot.
Page Six reported a 3,421 percent increase in Google searches for Troy and a 966 percent increase in searches for flights to Greece.
Travelers with plans to visit Greece are also altering their itineraries to see the iconic movie landscapes, including Nestor’s Cave in the Peloponnese and Voidokilia Beach.
