Screen tourism may be more prevalent now, but literary tourism is having a real moment as well. Novels can often influence readers to visit a new place to feel closer to a cherished story. Literary tourism comes from many inspirations, though. Some people may want to visit the old home or gravesite of a beloved author, while others might prefer visiting locales that featured in a hot book release.
This type of tourism encourages a very heartfelt, earnest type of engagement with a destination. DMOs are in a unique position to help readers hold onto a bit more of that literary magic with a variety of experiences that tap into that earnestness.
Sharing the Love With Fellow Fans
Special book events, like book talks, are one aspect of literary tourism, allowing for fans of a particular book or author to meet up and share the love. However, this literary escapism can extend into longer journeys, either with or without the author in question. When we think of literary journeys, we often conjure images of Agatha Christie’s Nile cruises and Orient Express trips, but modern literary tourism goes far beyond the tried-and-true itineraries. River cruise company Avalon Waterways offers Storyteller Cruises for book fans to have curated experiences with top authors, like a “Killer Queen” cruise on the Danube with Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn.
Destination book events can be even more grand than book talks and cruises. Last year, fashion brand Miu Miu launched a two-day book event in Milan that focused on feminist literature, dubbed Writing Life. Last August’s Edinburgh International Book Festival saw 100,000 visitors, and the Helsinki Book Fair drew in 98,000 visitors last October, a far cry from the traditional image of a signing at a small-town bookstore.
Hotels as Havens for Lit Lovers
Historic hotels often blend their status as sources of past inspiration and as escapes for literature fans. Here are just a few examples of hospitality brands leveraging literary fame in playful, effective ways:
- The Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans honors the famous authors who used the hotel as a writing retreat or featured it within the pages of their books. The establishment’s literary suites celebrate the likes of William Faulkner, Truman Capote, Eudora Welty and more.
- Room 222 at the Strater Hotel in Durango, Colorado, is known as the Louis L’Amour room because the famed Western author once said that the honky-tonk music from the Diamond Belle Saloon beneath the room helped set the mood for his novels, which included The Quick and the Dead and Hondo.
- Author Kay Thompson had been inspired by her stay at The Plaza in New York to create the character of Eloise, the six-year-old protagonist of five iconic children’s books, and now the hotel allows guests to book The Eloise Suite decorated in pink and white, just how Eloise would like it.
Soaking Up Popular Book Destinations
In addition to grand hotels, many readers may feel the itch to visit a town featured in a beloved book and see it with their own eyes. BookTok, TikTok’s literary tag, is full of recommendations of exotic locales where fans can see, hear and smell what their favorite characters did there.
Readers who want to feel like a High Fae lord or lady may book a trip to Zermatt, Switzerland, which apparently served as inspiration for the city of Velaris in Sarah J. Maas’s hit fantasy series A Court of Thorns and Roses. People who want to feel like the star of a rom-com may head to Croatia, the setting of Emily Henry’s novel People We Meet on Vacation, and marvel at the country’s cultural charm, scenic beaches and historic architecture. These book destinations can translate into long-term tourism revenue: The first Outlander tours in Scotland, inspired by Diana Gabbaldon’s time-travel romance series, launched over a decade ago and are still going strong as the book series and its TV adaptation draw in new fans each year.
How DMOs Can Capture Travel-Hungry Readers
DMOs can easily incorporate book-inspired strategies in their marketing approaches to entice these literary-minded travelers, engaging with these readers beyond book festivals, author cruises and special hotel suites.
A destination could create BookTok-style videos highlighting real locations that appear in or have inspired a popular book. They could even partner with BookTok creators with followings in specific genres, like romantasy, historical fiction or mystery, to create location-focused content, like showcasing scenic vistas or cozy cafes that match a book’s descriptions. Another approach could be developing themed itineraries and experiences like designing self-guided walking tours that follow a character’s footsteps.
Location-inspired experiences can become even more immersive by setting up artisan workshops teaching skills like metalsmithing, for fans of The Sword of Shannara or who want to feel like Perrin Aybara from The Wheel of Time series. And back to Agatha Christie experiences, it’s hard to think of anything more cozy than sitting in an English cafe, learning to knit with fellow Miss Marple fans as you snack on her favorite seed cake and violet creams.
To tap into the family travel market, destinations could partner with local businesses to offer book-inspired menus based around foods from children’s books. So many children would love to feel closer to their literary heroes with some Paddington-inspired marmalade toast or some of Bruce’s chocolate cake from Matilda.
Ultimately, the ability for books to excite and inspire travel continues to flourish, and DMOs can easily connect with voracious readers to craft some unforgettable experiences that only book lovers can truly appreciate.
