Abstract
Harry Potter has evolved beyond entertainment into a cultural phenomenon driving a unique form of tourism called ‘Pottourism.’ This study examines its impact on six UK tourist attractions where the series was filmed or set. Through analysis of 17,000 TripAdvisor reviews complemented by stakeholder interviews, the research reveals that over 30% of visitors are influenced by Harry Potter associations. Site managers face the critical challenge of balancing historical authenticity with fictional elements as these locations gain significance in popular culture. These attractions must maintain their historical integrity whilst incorporating fantasy elements to meet diverse visitor expectations, requiring innovative management strategies to ensure sustainability whilst leveraging the franchise’s enduring appeal. The study demonstrates how fictional narratives can transform traditional tourist sites, creating both opportunities and significant challenges for attraction management.
Keywords
Introduction
The year 2022 marked a significant milestone in contemporary literary and cultural history: the 25th anniversary of J.K. Rowling’s debut novel, ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ (Rowling, 1997). The publication of this seminal work heralded the inception of a franchise that would go on to achieve unprecedented commercial success and cultural impact worldwide (Gunelius, 2008). The Harry Potter series of books, comprising seven novels published between 1997 and 2007, demonstrated a remarkable ability to transcend the traditional boundaries of children’s literature, evolving into a global cultural phenomenon (Anatol, 2003). Its universal themes have contributed to its widespread appeal and helped foster a fanbase that crosses cultural, demographic, and geographic boundaries.
The narrative’s transition from literary to cinematic medium, through a series of critically acclaimed and commercially successful film adaptations, further amplified its reach and influence (Cartmell and Whelehan, 2005). The further expansion beyond its original literary and cinematic forms into diverse media and experiential formats, including spin-off films, theatrical productions, travelling exhibitions, and fan-created content, cosplay communities and themed events (Brown and Patterson, 2010) underscores the multi-dimensional nature of the Harry Potter phenomenon. The Harry Potter universe is now a complex, all-encompassing cultural phenomenon that appeals to a dedicated international fan base characterised by profound emotional investment.
This emotional investment has sparked a global surge in Harry Potter tourism, as fans seek to immerse themselves in the magical world beyond the pages and screens (Hills, 2015). ‘Pottourism’ represents a distinctive form of media-induced tourism where Harry Potter enthusiasts deliberately seek out and engage with physical spaces connected to the franchise’s literary origins and cinematic adaptations. This specialised tourism phenomenon manifests through three primary channels: authentic creation sites (such as Edinburgh’s writing locations), film production locations (including Scottish Highland shooting locations), and purpose-built themed attractions (like Warner Bros. Studio Tour) (Lee, 2012; Reijnders, 2011). The phenomenon demonstrates how powerful narratives can transform ordinary geographical spaces into extraordinarily meaningful destinations, creating a complex intersection between media consumption, fan culture, and contemporary tourism practices.
Waysdorf and Reijnders (2017) describe these transformations as the ‘mediatization of tourism,’ where fictional narratives actively shape real-world travel behaviours and experiences. Furthermore, Pottourism exemplifies the substantial economic and cultural impact that successful media franchises can have on both local and global tourism industries, creating what Larson et al. (2013) describe as narrative-driven tourism economies. The scope of Pottourism is remarkably extensive, with Potter-related experiences available across multiple continents, from East Asia to South America (Simonetta, 2024). In the United States, notable attractions include the Harry Potter theme park, ‘The Wizarding World of Harry Potter’ at Universal Studios, which features a replica of Hogsmeade village (Waysdorf and Reijnders, 2017). Additionally, the theatrical production ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ has become a significant draw for Potter enthusiasts worldwide (Sedgman, 2018), while a new Hogwarts ‘interactive retail experience’ which will include recreated film locations, as well as ‘photo moments’ and merchandise will open on Oxford Street London in 2026.
The United Kingdom (UK), the setting for many iconic scenes in both books and movies, has become a central hub for Pottourism, with a Visit Britain survey, indicating that 47% of incoming tourists choosing riding the scenic ‘Hogwarts Express’ through the Scottish Highlands as something they wanted to do whilst in the country (Khalaf, 2024). Alnwick Castle (Hogwarts), Glenfinnan Viaduct in Scotland (featured in the Hogwarts Express journeys), Platforms 9¾ at King’s Cross Station in London, where the iconic scene of Harry and his friends boarding the Hogwarts Express was filmed, have become must-visit spots for fans (Reijnders, 2011), along with themed attractions such as the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London -- The Making of Harry Potter. Pottourism has in turn generated income for these sites and attractions, with the National Trust in the UK earning an estimated £2 mn a year from fans coming to see the filming sites managed by the Trust. The value of the Glenfinnan Viaduct to the UK’s wider tourism sector, for example, is estimated at £20 mn a year (Khalaf, 2024).
Given the importance of the media to destination image (Hudson et al., 2011) and the economic impact of media tourism to the UK, Harry Potter related sites are increasingly promoted by Visit England, Visit Wales (BBC, 2022) and Visit Scotland (2020). However, there have been increasing concerns as to the oversized impact on existing visitor attractions, possible Disneyization (Bryman, 2004) of attractions and potentially damaging misinterpretation (Bakiewicz et al., 2017; Reynolds, 2016). At Glenfinnan Viaduct, visitor numbers increased from 60,000 visitors a year prior to the novels and movies to 200,000 in 2015 and 550,000 in 2023 (King, 2024), presenting management challenges (Bąkiewicz et al., 2017). These include changes in visitor numbers, profiles, and behaviours, as well as altered expectations for heritage interpretation.
By employing a mixed-methods approach that combines large-scale quantitative analysis of 17,000 TripAdvisor reviews with in-depth qualitative insights from elite industry stakeholders, this study examines the multifaceted impact of Pottourism on six UK attractions where the Harry Potter series was filmed or set. The research argues that Pottourism is neither an unqualified blessing nor a curse, but a complex phenomenon demanding sophisticated management strategies that balance historical authenticity with fictional associations—what this paper terms ‘layered authenticity’. Through empirical analysis of visitor engagement patterns, sentiment, and stakeholder perspectives, the study addresses whether Harry Potter tourists are experiencing the ‘media’ or the ‘reality’ (Karpovich, 2010), and how site managers navigate this tension. The findings offer a transferable framework for heritage sites globally grappling with the mediatization of their cultural assets, demonstrating how fictional narratives can transform traditional tourist sites while maintaining their core identity and purpose.
Literature review
Literary, film and TV tourism have emerged as significant niche markets within cultural tourism. These forms of tourism involve visitors travelling to destinations associated with books, films, or television (TV) shows, often motivated by a desire to experience the settings of their favourite stories firsthand (Beeton, 2016). The concept of literary tourism has a long history, with evidence of travellers visiting locations associated with authors and their works dating back to the 19th century (MacLeod, 2024). Squire (1994: 104) simply defines literary tourism as involving “travel to places famous for associations with books or authors,” with studies identifying Beatrix Potter (1866-1943) and Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) tourism, as a means for tourists to reestablish links with the past - countryside and English rural life as experienced or represented by Potter (Squire, 1993) and London as experienced or represented by Woolf (Plate, 2006).
Hoppen et al. (2014: 37) provides a more comprehensive definition, describing literary tourism as “a form of cultural tourism that involves travellers visiting places associated with writers and their literary works.” Film-induced tourism also known as screen tourism or movie-induced tourism gained prominence in the late 20th century, coinciding with the increasing popularity of international travel and the global reach of Hollywood productions (Beeton, 2016). Film tourism is tourist visitation “to a destination or attraction as a result of the destination being featured on television, video, DVD or the cinema screen” (Hudson and Ritchie, 2006: 387).
However, Connell (2012: 1007) offers a broader definition to emphasise the motivational aspect: “Film tourism is a specific pattern of tourism that drives visitors to see screened places during or after the production of a feature film or a television production.” Whilst TV tourism is a more recent phenomenon (Baleiro and Pereira, 2022), driven by the rise of high-quality television series, O'Connor and Kim (2014: 343), believe, “Television series, due to their extended viewing time compared to movies, have the potential to create stronger emotional connections between viewers and destinations.” Given the growth of streamed and user generated content via platforms like YouTube, the concept of ‘media tourism’ or ‘media-related tourism’ has increased in prominence, given it allows for a more comprehensive approach to studying and understanding the interrelated phenomena of literary, film and TV tourism.
The concept acknowledges the often-overlapping nature of these forms of tourism, especially in an era where stories frequently cross media boundaries (e.g., books adapted into films or TV series). Connell (2012) argues that “[w]hether induced by literature, film, or television, these forms of tourism share common characteristics of narrative transportation and the desire to experience fictional worlds in reality” (p. 1009). As the lines between literary, film, and TV tourism are increasingly blurred, popular franchises, such as Dr Who (Hills, 2015) span multiple media formats. Therefore, the term ‘media tourism’ can ‘encompass various forms and encompass visits to places that derive their popularity from books, films, or television series’ (Reijnders, 2011) and is “induced by different media forms not as separate phenomena but as interrelated parts of a broader mediascape” (Månsson, 2011, p. 1634).
Reijnders (2016) argues the common thread in media tourism is that it allows individuals to bridge the gap between fiction and reality, creating a sense of connection with beloved stories and characters. This emotional connection can in turn lead to deeper, more meaningful travel experiences (Kim, 2012). Media tourism, therefore, can be conceptualised as an ‘imaginative experience’ (Waysdorf, 2017), a notion that builds upon Reijnders’ (2011) emphasis on imagination as a central element in the media tourist experience and McGinn’s (2009) concept of ‘imaginative seeing.’ An imaginative experience in this context refers to an encounter that is profoundly shaped by the tourist’s imagination. This experience is not solely based on the physical reality of the location but is intimately tied to the fictional narratives associated with it. The mediated gaze thus becomes a lens through which tourists interpret and experience these locations, blending their preconceived notions derived from media with the physical reality of the site (Brooker, 2007).
The tourist’s perception is thus a blend of the tangible environment and the imagined world from the book, film or TV show. By visiting these sites, tourists seek to transcend the boundaries between fiction and reality, potentially experiencing a sense of proximity to the characters, events, and atmospheres depicted in the media product. Fandom is paramount in understanding media tourism, as it plays a crucial role in shaping both the demand for and experience of media-related travel, with Waysdorf (2017) positing that the full complexity and significance of media tourism can only be comprehensively understood only through the lens of fandom. Waysdorf (2020) argues that fans seek to immerse themselves in the fictional world by enacting character behaviours and mentally projecting themselves into the narrative space, thus transforming from fans into tourists. Their mode of engagement transcends mere observation, given they already have strict visual narratives within their minds.
Williams (2020) notes that fan practices at media tourism sites often involve performative elements, with visitors reenacting scenes, dressing as characters, or engaging in other fan-specific behaviours. These practices not only enrich the individual tourist experience but also contribute to the creation of a shared fan culture. Hudson and Ritchie (2006) found that successful film tourism can increase visitor numbers and generate substantial revenue for local economies, even for locations or attractions that lack formal marketing campaigns (Lexhagen et al., 2013; McWha and Beeton, 2018). Similarly, Busby and Klug (2001) demonstrated the positive economic effects of literary tourism in the UK, particularly in rural areas associated with famous authors. However, scholars have also highlighted potential negative impacts of media tourism. Beeton (2016) noted that sudden influxes of tourists can lead to overcrowding, environmental degradation, and disruption of local communities. Additionally, there are concerns about the authenticity of experiences offered to tourists and the potential commodification of cultural heritage (Reijnders, 2011). Wickens (2017) reinforces this concern, arguing that the consumption of cultural experiences in contemporary city tourism is increasingly negotiated between staged authenticity and standardised, commodified environments, a tension that is particularly acute at heritage sites whose identities have been reshaped by association with global media franchises.
Pottourism
The Harry Potter universe is a fantasy one and ‘unreal’ on multiple levels. It is not only fictional, but departs from our own world, on a magical level. In these cases, reality and fiction can’t be compared directly, as might be the case for more mimetic screen fictions (Torchin, 2002). The franchise has elevated certain locations associated with its fictional world, imbuing them with special significance. The allure of these places stems from their role as tangible interfaces between the fictional narrative and the physical world, offering fans an opportunity to establish more profound connections with their preferred characters or scenes, effectively transforming them into sites of pilgrimage for enthusiasts.
The Elephant House café in Edinburgh, which touts itself as the ‘Birthplace of Harry Potter’ having inspired J.K. Rowling, when writing the novels, has been transformed into an extraordinary site of meaning and experience for fans. Connell et al. (2021) found that a key attraction for some Chinese tourists to visit University of Sydney is to see the ‘Harry Potter building’, despite the site not being in JK Rowling’s books, nor involved in the making of the films, and not previously a tourist attraction. Existing research suggests that Pottourists are driven by a complex mix of motivations, including a desire for nostalgia, escapism, and a sense of connection to the fictional world (Buchmann et al., 2010). For many, it represents an opportunity to fulfil a childhood dream and relive cherished moments from the books and films (Tzanelli, 2013).
Being there, is also an opportunity for a variety of immersive activities that allow them to actively insert themselves into the narrative landscape of Harry Potter, adding layers of personal significance to their visits (Lee, 2012). Such activities may include participating in themed tours, which offer structured narratives that contextualise locations within the Harry Potter universe (Larson et al., 2013). Cosplay, or dressing in character-inspired costumes, represents another significant form of embodied fan practice, allowing visitors to physically manifest their connection to the series (Lamerichs, 2011). The purchase of merchandise, particularly items like wands, serves a dual purpose. It not only allows fans to bring a tangible piece of the wizarding world into their everyday lives but also functions as a form of performative consumption that reinforces fan identity (Geraghty, 2014; Pratten, 2011; Roesch, 2009).
Pottourists has very real implications for attractions (image, management and marketing) given the books and movies encourage a re-imagining of the landscape where factual and imaginary geographies exist side by side (Lee, 2012). Destination marketing organisations (DMOs), local authorities, and businesses have recognised the potential of leveraging media-inspired tourism to enhance their promotional efforts. By capitalising on the associations between specific locations and their portrayals in literature, film, and television, these entities aim to harness the power of global fan communities. The goal is to engage these transnational groups of enthusiasts to generate and maintain tourism interest in media-related sites (Beeton, 2016; Connell, 2012). This strategy acknowledges the significant influence that popular media can exert on travel decisions and destination image.
By tapping into the emotional connections that fans develop with fictional settings, some marketers seek to transform these imaginary places into tangible tourist experiences for fans (Balli et al., 2013; Kim and Long, 2012; Månsson, 2011; Yen et al., 2025). Pottourism has generated significant socioeconomic benefits for tourist sites across the UK, by attracting visitors, and injecting substantial revenue into local economies. It supports businesses directly involved in tourism, such as hotels, restaurants, and souvenir shops, as well as having a ripple effect on other sectors (Lee, 2012). In some cases, the growth of Pottourism has led to investment in infrastructure improvements, such as transportation links and visitor facilities (Bąkiewicz et al., 2017). Locations associated with Harry Potter have gained enhanced visibility and a unique selling point, boosting their overall attractiveness as tourist destinations (Månsson, 2011).
Research locations.
Informants.
Methodology
This study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative analysis of user-generated content with qualitative elite interviewing to provide a comprehensive understanding of Pottourism’s impact on UK tourist attractions. The research design integrates computational analysis of large-scale review data with in-depth insights from key industry stakeholders, following established frameworks (Darbi and Hall, 2014).
The chosen research locations were existing tourist attractions transformed by their association with Harry Potter. The locations represent diverse aspects of the Harry Potter universe, from educational institutions (Alnwick Castle as Hogwarts) to magical infrastructure (Glenfinnan Viaduct). The sample includes urban (Leadenhall Market) and rural (Glenfinnan Viaduct) attractions and are geographically diverse, representing recognised locations of pilgrimage for Harry Potter fans (O' Connor and Kim, 2014).
Quantitative analysis of user-generated content
This study employed Python-based tools to analyse rankings, ratings, reviews, and sentiments for the six attractions. Data collection utilised web scraping techniques with the BeautifulSoup library to extract all reviews for the six attractions up until March 2024 from TripAdvisor.com, following established protocols for tourism big data analysis (Rahmadian et al., 2022). The pandas library was utilised for data cleaning and organisation, creating structured datasets for each attraction. NumPy assisted in numerical analysis, particularly for calculating average ratings and ranking metrics.
To assess visitor sentiments, the Natural Language Toolkit (NLTK) was employed following recent advances in tourism sentiment analysis methodologies (Xu and Lv, 2022). This involved tokenising review text, removing stopwords, and performing sentiment analysis using the VADER (Valence Aware Dictionary and sEntiment Reasoner) tool, which provided compound sentiment scores for each review. VADER is particularly well-suited for social media text and short-form content, which aligns with the TripAdvisor review data analysed (Hutto and Gilbert, 2014). Limitations with TripAdvisor review data include self-selection bias (where only highly satisfied or dissatisfied visitors tend to post reviews) and demographic skews (with certain age groups and nationalities more likely to leave reviews) (Barbera et al., 2023; Lu and Stepchenkova, 2015).). Additionally, VADER, whilst effective for TripAdvisor content, has known limitations in interpreting context-specific language, sarcasm, cultural nuances and reviews with mixed sentiments (Manosso and Domareski Ruiz, 2021). To complement the computational sentiment scoring, particularly resonant or thematically illustrative reviews were extracted for closer narrative reading, an approach consistent with Nelson’s (2024) use of thematic narrative analysis of online travel reviews to reconstruct the experiencescape of visitor sites from visitor accounts.
Elite interviewing with key stakeholders
Elite interviewing was employed as a complementary qualitative method to gain insider perspectives on Pottourism management challenges and opportunities (Darbi and Hall, 2014). Elite interviews in tourism research provide access to decision-makers and industry experts who possess unique insights into strategic planning, policy implementation, and operational challenges (Amore and Hall, 2022). This approach aligns with recent calls for more stakeholder-inclusive methodologies in cultural tourism research (Aas et al., 2005).
Elite interview participants were purposively selected based on their professional roles within the UK Harry Potter tourism ecosystem. Selection criteria included: (1) direct operational responsibility for Harry Potter-associated attractions, (2) strategic decision-making authority regarding tourism development, (3) recognised expertise in Harry Potter tourism, and (4) willingness to participate in recorded interviews. The final sample comprised eight key stakeholders representing diverse aspects of the Pottourism sector.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted between September 2024 and September 2025, following ethical protocols established by recent tourism research guidelines (Frechtling, 2018). Interview duration ranged from 45 to 90 minutes, with all sessions recorded and transcribed verbatim following participant consent.
Findings
Scale and temporal patterns of pottourism
Out of 17,903 reviews analysed, 5,866 mention Harry Potter (32.80%), whilst 12,037 do not. The number of reviews increased significantly from 2011 to 2016, with a peak around 2016-2017, followed by gradual decline. Between 2019 and 2023, reviews declined by 71.59%, primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The year with the highest mentions of Harry Potter was 2016 for most locations, coinciding with the release of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” and the play “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.”
Visitor experience and satisfaction
Percentage of reviews which mention Harry Potter.
Comparison of mean TripAdvisor ratings for Harry Potter (HP) and non-Harry Potter reviews across six attractions.
It should be noted that whilst these differences in average ratings and sentiment scores are largely directionally consistent across all six sites, the observed margins are modest. To assess whether the small observed differences in ratings between Harry Potter and non-Harry Potter reviews were statistically meaningful, independent-samples t-tests (Welch’s t) were conducted both overall and for each attraction. Across the full sample, Harry Potter reviews had a slightly higher mean rating (M = 4.46) than non-Harry Potter reviews (M = 4.37).
When the analysis was repeated separately for each of the six attractions (Table 4), the direction of the effect (Harry Potter reviews rating the experience more positively than non-Harry Potter reviews) was consistent in five cases. In several instances these site-level differences also reached statistical significance, although effect sizes again remained small. Taken together, these results suggest that Harry Potter associations are associated with a reliably more positive visitor evaluation, but the practical size of this uplift in ratings is modest.
Visitor demographics and engagement patterns
Reviewers indicating country of origin are predominantly from the United Kingdom (63%), but those mentioning Harry Potter show interesting international patterns. The United States has 41.56% of reviews mentioning Harry Potter, while Germany (43.78%) and the Netherlands (43.48%) have the highest percentages of Harry Potter mentions. Informants indicated that international visitors do show distinct patterns in their Potter tourism engagement. Will Jones from Gloucester Cathedral observes: “I think we actually find that the international market come in for Harry Potter far more than the internal market, …I think that's what we think anecdotally.”
It is important to note, however, that TripAdvisor is primarily used by Western audiences and may significantly under-represent visitors from China, who are more likely to use platforms such as Mafengwo, Ctrip, or WeChat-based travel communities. Connell et al. (2021) demonstrate in their study of Chinese tourists visiting Harry Potter-related sites, Chinese visitors engage deeply with Pottourism but leave their reviews and recommendations on distinctly different digital platforms. Accordingly, the absence of Chinese visitors from TripAdvisor analytics does not reflect their actual presence or enthusiasm at these attractions, but rather a platform bias in the data collection method.
Families show the most significant positive difference for HP-related reviews, making up 31.30% of Harry Potter-related reviews compared to 21.89% of non-HP reviews (Table 5). Christine from Edinburgh’s Potter Trail observes this demographic shift: “When the tours started, it was people who were like, university or just graduated age who wanted to come on this tour because they read the books when they were a kid. Now, those people have children of their own.” This demographic shift is evident in visitor feedback, with family groups frequently mentioning introducing children to Potter locations. Reviews commonly express enthusiasm for “broomstick flying lessons which would be great fun for kids” alongside appreciation for historical tours, demonstrating how Potter associations attract multigenerational visitors (TripAdvisor, Alnwick Castle, September 2023).
Harry Potter fans provide more context in their reviews, with mean length for Harry Potter reviews at 620.42 characters compared to 408.73 characters for non-Harry Potter reviews (Table 6). Reviews mentioning Harry Potter also tend to have higher average numbers of photos.
Visitor Type Demographics.
Review Length (in characters) and Photo Engagement.
Importance-Performance Analysis of potter tourism strategy
Figure 1 presents an Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) of six Harry Potter-associated UK visitor attractions, providing a strategic framework for evaluating each site’s Potter tourism positioning. The x-axis represents Potter Importance, operationalised as the percentage of TripAdvisor reviews at each location that explicitly mention Harry Potter, and the y-axis represents Performance, measured as the average sentiment score of those Potter-referencing reviews. The chart is divided into four strategic quadrants by the mean values of both axes, enabling comparative positioning across sites. Importance-performance analysis of harry potter locations.
Alnwick Castle and Glenfinnan Viaduct occupy the optimal position (High Potter Importance, High Performance), successfully leveraging Potter associations while maintaining high visitor satisfaction. These locations demonstrate effective ‘layered authenticity’ strategies, integrating Potter elements without compromising their core heritage identity. This positions them as the most strategically successful Potter destinations in the dataset, where franchise associations actively drive footfall without compromising visitor experience quality.
Gloucester Cathedral and Lacock Abbey achieve excellent visitor satisfaction with moderate Potter dependence (High Performance, Lower Potter Importance), suggesting successful heritage-focused positioning that incorporates rather than depends on Potter elements. These sites are not over-relying on Potter but rather demonstrating that heritage-led attractions can achieve excellent visitor satisfaction while Potter functions as a complementary rather than primary draw.
Critically, two sites fall into underperforming quadrants. Leadenhall Market, despite a relatively high HP mention rate, falls into the ‘Concentrate Here’ quadrant, recording the lowest sentiment performance in the dataset. This signals a strategic problem rather than balance: the high frequency of Potter references in reviews is not translating into positive visitor sentiment, pointing to a mismatch between visitor expectations and on-site delivery. The qualitative evidence supports this, with negative reviews consistently citing the absence of meaningful Potter interpretation and a sense that the location’s HP connection is tenuous without active curation. Greyfriars Kirk occupies the ‘Low Priority’ quadrant, with both the lowest Potter mention rate and below-average Potter-specific sentiment performance. While the Kirk’s broader visitor satisfaction is strong, driven by its Greyfriars Bobby narrative, gothic atmosphere, and historical depth, its Potter associations generate neither significant visitor interest nor strongly positive sentiment, suggesting limited strategic value in further developing its Potter identity.
The IPA reveals that high Potter importance alone does not guarantee visitor satisfaction. What distinguishes the high-performing sites is the presence of tangible, curated Potter experiences, such as broomstick training at Alnwick, the Hogwarts Express narrative at Glenfinnan, that actively meet and shape visitor expectations. Sites with high Harry Potter mention rates but limited interpretive infrastructure, particularly Leadenhall Market, risk generating a cycle of raised expectations and underwhelming delivery. Conversely, Gloucester Cathedral and Lacock Abbey demonstrate that moderate Potter dependency paired with strong heritage identity produces the most consistent visitor satisfaction outcomes across the dataset.
Management challenges and responses
The informant interviews reveal complex management challenges. At Glenfinnan Viaduct, Emily Bryce explains: “It’s great to have a vibrant number of people visiting, and there should be opportunities from that, I think it’s fair to say we spend a lot of time just trying to cope with the numbers.” These infrastructure constraints are evident in visitor experiences. A TripAdvisor reviewer described the challenges: “The Harry Potter broomstick training was a highlight for the family” yet noted the visit was “Over priced for what you get to see” with “only a small number of areas open for visitors” (Alnwick Castle, October 2023). Such reviews reflect the tension between visitor demand and operational capacity that stakeholders identified.
Issues extend beyond capacity management. At Greyfriars Kirkyard, Jane Matheson describes specific challenges: “We've had a lot of what you could call Harry Potter vandalism, because there are certain groups that like to go around and sprinkle glitter on the graves. On sandstone [gravestones] that’s crumbling, and then it's all embedded with these little bits of glitter all over that are impossible, almost impossible to remove. Costs thousands to remove.” Copyright restrictions add complexity. Daniel Watkins from Alnwick Castle explains: “We haven't got any official association with anything trademarked or copyrighted as Harry Potter, so we don't use the word Hogwarts. We don't say Harry Potter anywhere other than the name of the film that was shot at the castle.”
Despite challenges, stakeholders recognise positive outcomes. Will Jones from Gloucester Cathedral notes: “Every day we get visitors that are drawn to us because of the Harry Potter connection. we get a lot of people that wouldn’t necessarily have engaged with us if they didn't know about our connection with Harry Potter.” Michael Golding notes: “The return on investment is huge if it’s done right, and if it is these kind of higher profile ones [films, books]. So, I think there's definitely support from our membership there for it.” This industry-wide endorsement suggests that attractions recognize Potter tourism as a net positive, provided appropriate management strategies are implemented. Michael emphasises the broader economic contribution: “If people want to come here [Scotland] for that, then we should be facing it and recognizing just how much our visitors contribute back and make Scotland a much better place to live and work as a result of it.” This pragmatic view acknowledges that while over-commercialisation concerns are valid, Potter tourism generates substantial revenue that supports both tourism infrastructure and broader community development.
Analysis and discussion
Layered authenticity strategy
The analysis reveals that maintaining balance between the real and unreal, the authentic and the enchanted, is the key challenge for operators of Potter-associated attractions. The data indicates that Harry Potter associations generally enhance the overall visitor experience, with roughly 3 out of 10 reviews mentioning Harry Potter, confirming significant but not overwhelming presence of Potter-related tourism.
The research demonstrates that successful sites develop what might be termed ‘layered authenticity’ - maintaining their core historical or cultural identity whilst acknowledging and incorporating their fictional associations. Daniel Watkins from Alnwick Castle exemplifies this approach: “We’ve got enough happening that if you don’t like that thing happening over there, there's probably 4 things on the other side that might be more your taste.” The challenge of balancing heritage preservation with commercial opportunity is widely recognized across the sector. Michael Golding articulates this tension: “The art of running an attraction is to understand, how do you strike that balance and create that relationship between what can be three different teams in some of the bigger organizations, you’ve got the conservationists and preservation battling against the marketeers who want to get the volume and the results.”
This institutional friction reflects the broader challenge of managing Potter tourism—sites must satisfy both preservation mandates and visitor expectations while maintaining financial sustainability. This balanced approach resonates with visitors. One TripAdvisor reviewer from Alnwick Castle noted: “Other activities include archery and broomstick lessons (there is a bit of a Harry Potter theme if you’re into that, but it’s not overbearing if you’re not)” (September 2017). The review demonstrates how successful layered authenticity allows Potter elements to enhance rather than dominate the historical experience.
Narrative integration approaches
Informant interviews reveal sophisticated understanding of balancing challenges. Christine from Edinburgh’s Potter Trail describes their strategy of using “Harry Potter as kind of the jumping off point for talking about Scottish history… You’re basically tricking them. You’re like, come for Harry Potter. It’s really a history tour.” This approach suggests that the dichotomy between authenticity and commercialisation may be overly simplistic - sites can leverage Potter associations to enhance rather than undermine their educational mission. This strategy aligns with Belhaj and Lehman’s (2024) conceptualisation of experiential marketing in tourism and hospitality, in which storytelling and embedded narrative cues are deployed to convert initial fictional or symbolic associations into deeper, sensorially rich encounters with the host destination.
Emily Bryce articulates this integrated approach: “If people arrive at Glenfinnan because they’ve been inspired by the film location, what we want them to go away with is the sense that actually there’s more to Glenfinnan than a film location. Actually, fact is as fascinating as fiction at Glenfinnan.”
Long-term sustainability considerations
The enduring appeal of Potter tourism appears to transcend typical media tourism cycles. Daniel Watkins compares it to other cultural phenomena: “I think this is much, much broader, because, you know, the kids, and we’ve given the adults can dress up, they can put their cloak on… It’s a bit like The Beatles or Sherlock Holmes, where they might not be the big current thing anymore. But there’s always going to be this base level of association of Britain with this thing.” The intergenerational nature provides optimism for sustainability. Daniel Watkins observes: “People who visited famous Potter locations 20 years ago are now bringing the next generation and getting them interested. And that seems to be where it keeps ticking along.” Michael Golding, CEO of the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions (ASVA), emphasizes the unique intergenerational nature of Potter tourism: “I think something like Harry Potter is such an iconic series. I think it is intergenerational. I think we’re getting to the stage now where you’ve got, what was the children reading the books, educating their children on it.” This demographic shift suggests Potter tourism may transcend typical media tourism cycles, with original fans now introducing their children to both the franchise and its associated destinations.
Yet, infrastructure constraints can become a critical concern. Daniel Watkins notes that “Car parking is tricky, but luckily the [Alnwick] Garden created a car park when it opened, which definitely helped. Otherwise, there’s no dedicated Castle car park — it wasn’t built with those in mind.” James Shuttleworth, Commercial Manager of West Coast Railways, notes that demand for the iconic shot of the Jacobite/Harry Potter train crossing the Glenfinnan Viaduct has led to increasing visitor numbers and congestion. Emily Bryce notes that the visitor centre was not set up for Harry Potter fans and is therefore too small for demand and does not currently make any connections between Glenfinnan’s film heritage and the other fascinating elements of the village’s story.
However, as some public and open sites (e.g. Glenfinnan) may be reaching the limits of their capacity to balance heritage preservation with tourism demand, coordinated multi-stakeholder intervention has occurred, including the construction of a new car park in 2019–2020 and further parking improvements in progress, including the implementation of traffic management measures (bollards, marked crossing points, and parking restrictions). Stakeholders have identified additional solutions for implementation, namely a park-and-ride facility, coordinated national messaging to manage visitor flow, and development of a new visitor centre.
Recommendations
Based on the analysis of informant insights and visitor data, several recommendations emerge:
Develop integrated narrative frameworks
Attractions should develop interpretation strategies that weave Potter elements into broader historical narratives rather than treating them as separate attractions or ignoring the connections. While Leadenhall Market is viewed positively due to its architecture and history, dining and drinking, as well as links to Harry Potter (Diagon Alley is mentioned in 47 reviews and the Leaky Cauldron is mentioned in 19 reviews), fans are often critical as to the lack of signage, content and interpretation. One reviewer mentioned: Come prepared w/ any Harry Potter targets; won't find any help/guidance on-site. Shop/restaurant selection so-so. Biggest clientele were pub customers enjoying end-of-work day beverages (Jully, 2023)
Implement graduated visitor management
Sites should develop tiered management strategies that can accommodate different levels of Potter interest, including dedicated Potter tours for enthusiasts whilst maintaining general access for heritage visitors. While generally maintaining consistent levels of satisfaction for both Potter and non-Potter reviews, a thematic analysis did reveal some negative sentiments related to the Harry Potter connection. While not statistically significant, 3% of reviews believe Alnwick castle is overly focused on its Harry Potter connection, leading to a sense of commercialisation and detracting from its historical and architectural significance. One Tripadvisor reviewer noted: Alnwick was a disappointment. It failed to get the balance right between playful fun and history. There was no historical interpretation outside (other than on large group tours). The state rooms were interesting, and the two museums did have some interesting artefacts but it just all felt very disjointed. The place and the shop felt dominated by slightly tacky Harry Potter themed tourism (August 2023).
Develop copyright-compliant interpretation
Sites should work within legal constraints to provide meaningful Potter-related interpretation, focusing on factual aspects (filming processes, historical connections) rather than copyrighted material.
Establish visitor education programmes
Sites should develop strategies to educate Potter tourists about appropriate behaviour and heritage conservation to prevent issues like the “Harry Potter vandalism” experienced at Greyfriars Kirkyard. Aideed et al. (2025) demonstrate that professional tour-guide mediation is a key determinant of both visitor experience quality and the cultivation of sustainable visitor behaviour at attractions, suggesting that investment in trained interpretive staff, rather than passive signage alone, is likely to be the most effective lever for shaping Pottourists’ on-site conduct.
Develop coordinated destination-level strategies
Individual site management has limitations. Michael Golding suggests a more strategic approach at country or destination level: “I think there’s probably cases that you can see now where it is individual sites and there are limitations based on the contracts they’re signing. But actually, is there more that we can do from a Visit Scotland perspective, to coordinate that package it and then something more tangible.” Drawing on successful examples like Northern Ireland’s Game of Thrones tourism strategy, authorities (Visit Scotland, Visit Britain etc) should develop coordinated Potter tourism packages that benefit multiple sites while maintaining consistency in messaging and visitor management. Sulhaini et al. (2024) similarly argue that network-based behaviour among tourism stakeholders, characterised by sustained inter-organisational relationships and information sharing, is central to destination-level resilience, providing a theoretical underpinning for the coordinated Pottourism strategy proposed here.
Develop a pottourism trail
The literature on tourism trails provides a well-established framework for linking individual sites into coherent visitor itineraries that maximise economic benefit across multiple destinations whilst distributing visitor pressure more evenly (Herbert, 2001; Timothy and Boyd, 2015). The six attractions examined in this study are currently managed in isolation, with no coordinated trail product connecting them for visitors. This represents a significant missed opportunity. The Potter Trail in Edinburgh, operated by one of our informants (Christine), demonstrates proof of concept at a city level. A national Pottourism Trail, modelled on successful examples such as the Outlander Experience Trail in Scotland or the Brontë Country routes in Yorkshire, could link Alnwick Castle, Glenfinnan Viaduct, Lacock Abbey, Gloucester Cathedral, Greyfriars Kirkyard, and Leadenhall Market into a promoted itinerary. Such a trail would provide clear wayfinding and interpretive continuity, encourage longer visitor stays and multi-destination visits, reduce pressure on individual hotspot sites by distributing flow, and create a platform for joint marketing by Visit Scotland, Visit England, and Visit Britain. Future research should investigate whether the infrastructure and stakeholder appetite for such a trail currently exist, and whether a digital trail format (app-based) might be particularly effective given the franchise’s digitally engaged fanbase.
The upcoming HBO Harry Potter series presents both opportunities and challenges for existing locations. The intergenerational appeal documented suggests Potter tourism may have greater longevity than typical media tourism phenomena, with original fans now bringing their children who are discovering Potter.
However, infrastructure and capacity constraints suggest that growth in Potter tourism may be naturally limited by physical constraints rather than declining interest. The sustainability challenges revealed suggest that Potter tourism’s future may depend on developing more sophisticated management approaches that balance commercial opportunity with heritage preservation and community well-being.
Conclusions
This study provides valuable insights into Pottourism, examining its impact on six UK attractions through analysis of TripAdvisor reviews complemented by stakeholder interviews. The findings confirm that Pottourism contributes substantially to increased visitation and generally positive visitor sentiment, boosting economic benefits while creating significant management challenges requiring sophisticated responses. The central finding is that successful sites develop ‘layered authenticity’ - maintaining their core identity whilst acknowledging fictional associations. The study highlights that heritage sites can embrace media tourism without compromising their fundamental mission, but this requires careful navigation of multiple tensions: between commercial opportunity and heritage preservation, between fan expectations and copyright constraints, between visitor satisfaction and community well-being.
Rather than being a simple blessing or curse, Pottourism represents a complex phenomenon requiring nuanced management approaches that recognise both opportunities and constraints. Sites that successfully manage this balance demonstrate common characteristics: they integrate Potter elements into broader historical narratives; develop infrastructure serving multiple visitor segments; work proactively with communities to address negative impacts; and plan for long-term sustainability. The study’s contribution lies in documenting how heritage sites can leverage media tourism whilst maintaining authentic character, providing insights valuable as other media franchises create similar tourism phenomena. However, the research also reveals limits of individual site management in addressing broader impacts. The sustainability of Potter tourism may ultimately depend on developing coordinated management frameworks rather than relying solely on individual site initiatives. Saini et al. (2024) further suggest that responsible content production by digitally embedded actors, including social-media travel influencers, is now a constitutive element of sustainable destination outcomes, indicating that Pottourism stewardship must extend beyond physical site management to include the curation of the franchise’s online representation.
As Emily Bryce concludes: “I would say it’s a positive experience, definitely. And the negatives for us are managing the footfall, definitely. But that’s the same with any tourist attraction, isn’t it?” This perspective suggests that whilst Potter tourism creates unique challenges, it represents an evolution of heritage tourism that can be managed successfully with appropriate strategies and resources.
Footnotes
Funding
The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Declaration of conflicting interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.