|
 by Kevin Jack, Deputy Director
“Authenticity is a keyword when it comes to tourist experiences. Travelers love to say, ‘I was right there!’”
Dr. Marta Soligo, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Have you ever watched a movie or TV show, seen a certain location, and thought “I need to go there"? You're not alone! The online travel agency Expedia reports that 66% of travelers’ trips have been influenced by places in movies or on TV. This is film tourism. As a state with a strong film and TV industry, New York is a prime film tourism destination.
Set-jetting
Film tourism, or “set-jetting,” has become a global economic powerhouse as travelers seek to immerse themselves in locations made famous by their favorite films and shows. Travel writer Laura Berry calls film tourism “one of the most powerful travel trends in the world, influencing not only where people go, but how they interact with the destination once there.”
Dr. Marta Soligo of the Harrah College of Hospitality at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) says film tourism has become increasingly popular, with many viewers inspired to travel to the shooting locations of their favorite films or series. Thanks to its increasing popularity, Expedia, American Express, and Skyscanner all named film tourism as the top motivation for travel, surpassing social media.
New York City’s On Location Tours specializes in TV and movie-themed bus and walking tours. Owner Georgette Blau believes the recent upturn in film tourism and studios opening around the country are closely connected. Filming on location — instead of in studios or on sound stages — has also contributed to this trend. When On Location Tours started in 1999, they were just the third company offering TV and movie tours. Now, the industry has almost 100 tour companies worldwide focusing on TV and film tourism.
Major Economic Force
Fueled by more than 105 million film travelers in 2026, film tourism has evolved into a major economic force. And the outlook appears bright: the industry’s current estimated global market value of $71.6 billion is expected to more than double to $157.5 billion by 2036.
Certain film franchises have evolved into mass tourism phenomena. Take the Harry Potter movies, for instance, with their various United Kingdom filming locations, such as London, Oxford, Edinburgh, and the Scottish Highlands. Similarly, fans can travel to Matamata on New Zealand’s North Island to visit the Hobbiton Movie Set, which was featured in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movie trilogies.
The White Lotus Effect
Recently, Gen Zers and younger Millennials have been flocking to real-life, upscale filming locations. The first three seasons of the popular streaming series The White Lotus featured high-end, luxury filming locations. Featured destinations like the Four Seasons Resorts in Maui, Sicily, and Thailand reported increased visitation due to the hit HBO series. Travel writer Laura Berry notes that travelers may “re-create experiences that echo those of their favorite characters while delving into the destination.”
Researchers at the University of Cordoba in Spain analyzed the demographic profiles of film tourism travelers. Most are 18-35 years old, with post-secondary education and a medium- to high-income financial status. Film tourism motives include entertainment, a desire to escape daily routines, and cultural interest.
The Problem of Overtourism
Film tourism (and other forms of tourism) can boost a destination’s economy through the influx of visitor spending and job creation. It can also create “overtourism,” the negative environmental and cultural impacts on a community.
Dr. Soligo of UNLV cites the case of Dubrovnik, Croatia, which was a primary filming location for HBO’s series Game of Thrones. Millions of the show’s fans visited, which led to extreme overcrowding, strain on the city’s infrastructure, and surging property prices. Cultural tension was created, and many residents were forced out of the city. In response, the city government capped the number of visitors, restricted the number of cruise ships docking in the port, and banned the opening of new restaurants with outdoor seating to preserve space.
Another overtourism example cited by Dr. Soligo is the “Joker Stairs” — a steep set of 132 steps in the Highbridge neighborhood of the Bronx. They were featured in the 2019 film Joker starring Joaquin Phoenix. Phoenix performed an iconic dance on the steps, which resulted in it becoming a crowded tourist destination for fan photos and an issue for local commuters.
Rise of the Influencer Economy
There is a striking parallel between the recent growth of film tourism and the rise of the “influencer or creator economy.” Influencers are social media content creators who build highly engaged, niche audiences and profit through brand sponsorships, digital products, affiliate marketing, and e-commerce. In film tourism, show producers and streaming platforms, such as Netflix and HBO, have become “influencers” as they can choose locations to feature and in turn boost area tourism.
Film boards, also called film commissions or film offices, are pivotal in the film and TV production process. Typically, they are government or non-profit bodies designed to promote and support production in a specific city, region, or state. They often are part of an area’s tourism promotion plan, which can help to reduce seasonal tourism lulls and generate more diversified forms of revenue.
These boards may also administer financial incentives, such as tax credits, assist filmmakers with securing necessary local permits for filming, and maintain databases of local landscapes and architecture. They often assist with the recruitment of local actors, crew, equipment vendors, and catering services. Earlier this year, many Capital Region residents got to work as extras in The Gilded Age, which was filmed locally.
When in New York
Many New York destinations have served as the settings of films throughout the years. New York City is the top destination for both domestic and international travelers in the U.S. Georgette Blau of On Location Tours states that Sex and the City and Friends are two TV shows that generate a lot of NYC visits “since these programs had such a close relationship with New York City; their scripts were integrated into the threads of New York City and NYC living.” Superhero movies from Marvel and DC, such as the films featuring Superman, Batman, the Joker, Spider-Man, and the Avengers, also draw fans.
Film tourism has impacted New York State as a whole. The Place Beyond the Pines (2012) was filmed in and around Schenectady. Like The Gilded Age, Martin Scorsese’s The Age of Innocence (1993) used present day Troy as a stand-in for 1870s New York City. Several films, such as Salt (2010) and The Other Guys (2010), have used locations in or around Albany as stand-ins for New York City or Washington, DC.
In the Jim Carrey comedy Bruce Almighty (2003), there are several locations in and around Buffalo, including the Niagara Falls Maid of the Mist tours. The racing sequences in the 2003 film Seabiscuit were filmed at the historic Saratoga Race Course. Over the years, many films have been shot in the Hudson Valley, such as Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds (2005), John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place (2018), and Darren Aronofsky’s Oscar-winning drama The Whale (2022).
HBO has filmed four seasons of the popular series The Gilded Age in the Capital Region, including various locations in Albany, Schenectady, and Troy, owing to the area’s historic 19th-century architecture. The Rensselaer County Historian now offers Gilded Age-themed tours in Troy. Further south in the Hudson Valley, the Staatsburgh State Historic Site in Dutchess County offers multiple official Gilded Age specialty tours promoted through the I LOVE NY program.
When the hit Broadway musical Hamilton was released on streaming platform Disney+, New York State launched the Eliza Schuyler Tour. The Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site in Albany offers guided tours of the circa-1762 Georgian estate where Eliza Schuyler grew up and married Alexander Hamilton in 1780.
Film and TV production can also spur local economies. Deb Goedeke, Albany County’s Film Commissioner, reported the filming of Season 3 of The Gilded Age in Albany County generated a significant local economic impact. Film Commissioner Goedeke also notes, “While Albany is still an emerging player in the film and television space, film and TV exposure helps shape awareness and perception of a destination.”
Final Thoughts
The line between entertainment and travel is increasingly blurred as film studios, streaming platforms, and tourism boards continue to form strategic partnerships. Travelers have been inspired to visit many of the destinations featured in film and TV programs. As KPMG concluded in a 2024 analysis: “Film tourism… taps into the desire of movie enthusiasts to experience cultures, landscapes, and realities behind the cinematic world.”
As a $71.6 billion global phenomenon, film tourism, which is expected to more than double over the next decade, has the potential to boost many local and regional economies. However, overtourism can cause congestion, degrade environments, raise property prices, and lower residents' quality of life. If managed effectively, film tourism can promote sustainable year-round travel.
|
|
"Film and TV production is crucial to the Hudson Valley regional economy."
by Johny Nelson, Labor Market Analyst, Hudson Valley region
The Empire State is one of the most dynamic film and TV production centers in the world. This distinction is earned through a combination of top-tier talent, highly skilled crews, state-of-the-art production and distribution facilities, a wide variety of urban and rural shoot locations, and financial incentives. Collectively, these qualities make New York State a vibrant place to film a movie or TV show.
Introducing the MP&SR Sector
Data from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages show that New York State’s Motion Picture and Sound Recording (MP&SR) sector employed more than 50,000 people and paid nearly $5.7 billion in wages in 2025.
The lion’s share of MP&SR sector employment and wages in the state (90%) is found in New York City. The Hudson Valley was a distant second with more than 1,900 jobs and total wages of $92 million. The sector’s average annual salary in 2025 in the Hudson Valley was $48,000. While the Hudson Valley’s film and TV sector is relatively small, it is still an integral part of the regional economy. It supports direct and indirect jobs while also promoting tourism. In addition, a 2024 State Department of Labor report named the sector as a “significant industry” in the region.
The MP&SR sector is comprised of multiple industries, spanning film and music production and distribution, movie and drive-in theaters, and film and TV post-production services. Between 2010 and 2025, the job count in the Hudson Valley’s MP&SR sector grew by almost 600, or nearly 42%.
A growing MP&SR sector can boost the entire regional economy. Research group Lightcast estimates that the employment multiplier for the region’s Motion Picture and Sound Recording sector is 2.16. This means that for every 100 new sector jobs, an additional 116 spin-off jobs are created in industries across the region.
Recent Developments
As New York City-area film and TV production has boomed in recent years, the Hudson Valley’s proximity to the Big Apple has had a positive effect on sector growth in the region. Filmmakers and production companies seeking versatile backdrops are attracted to the Hudson Valley’s picturesque infrastructure, including its iconic historic sites, bridges and river views.
The City of Yonkers (Westchester County) has branded itself as “Hollywood on Hudson.” Some recent productions filmed in Yonkers include The Gilded Age, Law and Order, Severance, and Raising Kanan. Production companies, including Great Point Studios, have taken notice and are expanding locally. Great Point is investing $500 million to expand its film and TV productions operation in Yonkers, making it a major hub for film and TV production in the Northeast. The investment will offer unmatched stage capacity and post-production services.
Great Point Studios currently operates eight sound stages in Yonkers and plans to grow to 15-20 stages. Their tenants include Lionsgate Studios, Apple, NBC, Paramount, and Starz. Great Point also opened a media high school in September 2024 for Yonkers Public Schools called the Robert Halmi Sr. Academy of Film and Television. Students are offered the opportunity to train and acquire the skills and hands-on experience necessary for careers in film, TV, and the broader media industry.
Production company Choice Films has plans for a $21.6 million, 75,000-square-foot studio facility in Montgomery (Orange County). The company produces film, TV, and digital content, in addition to providing production services and soundstage facilities for third-party projects.
Workforce initiatives such as film bootcamps and local training programs have created a pipeline of skilled crew and production staff. Local production companies get to hire locally, reducing costs and cultivating long-term employment opportunities in the Hudson Valley. Choice Films and SUNY Orange offer a joint program called “Skill Up Orange.” The five-week training program combines classroom work at SUNY Orange with three weeks of on-set training under members from unions such as the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and other groups.
Incentives
New York State offers several incentive programs to help grow the film and TV production sector such as tax incentives, tax credits, sales tax exemptions, and grants to support workforce and training diversity. The New York State Film Tax Credit Program offers a fully refundable, 30% credit on qualified expenses, with additional incentives for companies producing multiple projects in the state. The NYS Independent Film Production Tax Credit offers a 30% refundable tax credit on eligible in-state expenditures to qualified independent film production, with a potential increase to 40% if filming occurs in certain counties.
Concluding Thoughts
Film and TV production is crucial to the Hudson Valley regional economy, promoting a growing tourism base and boosting economic output through local businesses. The boost benefits transportation companies, hotels, restaurants, cafes, and retailers. State incentives and a robust ecosystem continue to make the region an attractive destination for film and TV productions.
|
|
 In May 2026, New York State’s seasonally adjusted private sector job count increased over the month by 11,800, or 0.1%, to 8,470,900. In addition, the statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in May 2026 held steady at 4.6%. New York State’s seasonally adjusted labor force participation rate remained unchanged at 61.7%.
Capital
Over the past year, the number of private sector jobs in the Capital Region decreased by 500, or 0.1%, to 444,000 in May 2026. Employment gains occurred in the following sectors:
- professional and business services (+1,900)
- education and health services (+300
Over-the-year job losses were largest in the following sectors:
- trade, transportation and utilities (-1,400)
- natural resources, mining and construction (-500)
- information (-300)
- other services (-300)
Central NY
The private sector job count in the Syracuse metro area dropped over the past year by 900, or 0.3%, to 260,500 in May 2026. Job gains were largest in these sectors:
- leisure and hospitality (+1,200)
- education and health services (+200)
The largest employment losses occurred in the following sectors:
- trade, transportation and utilities (-1,600)
- financial activities (-500)
- manufacturing (-300)
Finger Lakes
From May 2025 to May 2026, the number of private sector jobs in the Rochester metro area fell by 1,600, or 0.4%, to 444,400. Employment gains occurred in the following sectors:
- natural resources, mining and construction (+1,400)
- education and health services (+700)
- leisure and hospitality (+600)
Over-the-year job losses were largest in the following sectors:
- manufacturing (-1,400)
- professional and business services (-1,300)
- financial activities (-1,000)
- trade, transportation and utilities (-300)
Hudson Valley
Over the past year, the number of private sector jobs in the Hudson Valley grew by 9,400, or 1.1%, to 862,700 in May 2026. Job gains were largest in the following sectors:
- natural resources, mining and construction (+3,000)
- education and health services (+2,900)
- financial activities (+900)
- leisure and hospitality (+900)
- trade, transportation and utilities (+800)
- professional and business services (+500)
Long Island
From May 2025 to May 2026, the number of private sector jobs on Long Island increased by 4,500, or 0.4%, to 1,194,100. Employment gains occurred in the following sectors:
- education and health services (+10,000)
- professional and business services (+1,500)
- natural resources, mining and construction (+1,100)
Over-the-year job losses were largest in the following sectors:
- leisure and hospitality (-3,400)
- other services (-1,600)
- manufacturing (-1,100)
- trade, transportation and utilities (-900)
- financial activities (-800)
Mohawk Valley
For the 12-month period ending May 2026, the number of private sector jobs in the Mohawk Valley region decreased by 500, or 0.3%, to 143,300. The following sector had the largest over-the-year employment gain:
- education and health services (+500)
Over-the-year job losses were centered in the following sectors:
- professional and business services (-600)
- manufacturing (-400)
- trade, transportation and utilities (-200)
New York City
New York City’s private sector job count increased over the past year by 44,500, or 1.1%, to 4,243,000 in May 2026. The following sectors added jobs over the past year:
- education and health services (+23,300)
- professional and business services (+14,500)
- financial activities (+8,200)
- information (+2,500)
- natural resources, mining and construction (+2,200)
- leisure and hospitality (+800)
Employment losses occurred in the following sectors:
- trade, transportation and utilities (-2,900)
- manufacturing (-2,300)
- other services (-1,800)
North Country
The number of private sector jobs in the North Country region increased over the past year by 100, or 0.1%, to 109,100 in May 2026. Employment gains occurred in the following sectors:
- education and health services (+500)
- natural resources, mining and construction (+200)
Over-the-year job losses were largest in the following sector:
- leisure and hospitality (-300)
Southern Tier
For the 12-month period ending May 2026, the number of private sector jobs in the Southern Tier region decreased by 200, or 0.1%, to 209,100. Employment gains occurred in the following sectors:
- education and health services (+900)
- natural resources, mining and construction (+500)
Job losses were largest in the following sectors:
- trade, transportation and utilities (-700)
- leisure and hospitality (-400)
- information (-200)
- professional and business services (-200)
Western NY
Over the past 12 months, the number of private sector jobs in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga metro area decreased by 800, or 0.2%, to 472,400 in May 2026. Over-the-year job gains occurred in the following sectors:
- professional and business services (+600)
- education and health services (+600)
- natural resources, mining and construction (+200)
Employment losses were largest in the following sectors:
- leisure and hospitality (-800)
- manufacturing (-600)
- trade, transportation and utilities (-500)
|
|
|
Click the button below to become a subscriber to Employment in New York State
|
|
|
|
|
