Greek government and tourism officials are trying to capitalize on the resurgence of interest in ancient Greek culture, spurred by Christopher Nolan’s new Odyssey movie.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis held a video conference with the director to thank him, emphasizing that the production “creates a bridge between cultural heritage and contemporary creativity”.
Part of the filming took place in iconic locations such as Nestor’s Cave, Voidokilia Beach, Methon Castle and Acrocorinth.
To capitalize on this interest, the National Tourism Organization organized a press trip to Ithaca, which resulted in a 162-page publication by Le Figaro.
Meanwhile, the Peloponnese region is preparing the program “Odysseus’ Route — Homer’s Peloponnese”, which is expected to be launched in November, linking the filming locations with the Homeric myths.
The data shows a significant increase in tourism: holiday bookings to Greece rose by 18% according to easyJet, while operator Unforgettable Greece reported a 76% increase year-on-year and introduced 22 new themed itineraries.
The film has also boosted interest in Homer’s classics, with book sales increasing in the UK (70%) and the US (76%). Online searches for “learn Greek” increased by up to 5,000% after the release of the film.
Professor Angelos Chaniotis of Princeton warned that the impact of movies is often short-lived.
He stressed that Greece must develop a long-term strategy to maintain interest, including the internationalization of classical studies, strengthening the archaeological service and improving the presentation of museums and archaeological sites.
