By Giselda Vagnoni
ROME, Aug 5 (Reuters) – The tiny Italian Mediterranean island of Favignana hopes Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster “The Odyssey” will help it to attract more visitors but wants to avoid falling into the trap of overtourism.
Released last month, “The Odyssey” grossed more than $264 million worldwide on its opening weekend, the biggest debut of Nolan’s career. The film retells Homer’s epic tale of Odysseus’ journey home after the Trojan War.
Favignana, the largest of the Egadi Islands, lies 7 km (4 miles) off Sicily’s western coast and stands in for Ithaca, Odysseus’ homeland. The Castello di Santa Caterina, a fortress atop Favignana’s highest hill, serves as the hero’s palace.
Local authorities want to turn the association with Nolan’s film into a lasting attraction for Favignana, home to around 3,000 people.
With support from Sicily’s culture department and Universal Pictures, a permanent exhibition could open as early as October at the former Florio tuna-processing plant, which served as the production’s headquarters.
“The idea is to allow visitors to experience the different stages of the production and see some of the costumes and equipment used in the movie,” Favignana Mayor Giuseppe Pagoto told Reuters in an interview.
Local businesses are banking on a trend that has turned film locations into tourist hotspots, much as the long-running “Inspector Montalbano” television series boosted tourism along Sicily’s southeastern coast.
“We believe all of western Sicily could become more attractive to American visitors thanks to The Odyssey,” Giacomo Incarbona, head of the local hotel operators’ association, told Reuters.
NOLAN RIDING A BIKE, ZENDAYA READING A BOOK
Film tourism is a growing factor in the travel industry. The U.N. World Tourism Organization estimates that destinations featured in hit films can boost visitor numbers by 25% to 40%, while consultancy Future Market Insights forecasts the sector could be worth almost $157.5 billion globally by 2036.
The production team for “The Odyssey” spent several months on the island between late 2024 and spring 2025, employing about 500 extras and workers.
Pagoto estimated that the shoot generated between €1 million and €2 million ($1.15 million and $2.3 million) in local spending.
Incarbona, whose three-star hotel hosted members of the hair and make-up departments, said he was struck by the relationship that developed between the production teams and islanders.
“Nolan would cycle through town and greet everyone. Hollywood actress Zendaya, who played Athena, would sit in the square reading a book,” he said.
MANAGING A TOURISM BOOM
International investors from North America, the Middle East and India have approached the municipality about high-end tourism opportunities ahead of the 2027 season, Mayor Pagoto said.
The abandoned former Valtur holiday village is due to be redeveloped as a five-star resort, while the historic Palazzotto Florio in the island’s main square is being converted into a luxury hospitality project scheduled to open in June 2027.
“For years, people renovated homes and turned them into B&Bs. Now we are seeing entrepreneurs invest in and redevelop major assets across the island,” Pagoto said.
Favignana is keen to avoid the curse of overtourism that has strained established destinations including Venice, Florence and the Dolomites.
“A shock wave could hurt us,” Incarbona said, hoping the film would extend the tourist season rather than drive a surge in visitor numbers at peak times.
The population can already swell from 3,000 to between 40,000 and 50,000 on summer days, putting pressure on services.
“We will have to prepare for growing demand, starting with beach cleaning,” Pagoto said.
The municipality has installed 200 mooring buoys around the island to stop boats anchoring close to shore and is considering further measures to regulate visitor flows.
One option is to tie permits for vehicles brought on to the island to a minimum-stay requirement. Authorities want to raise the average visit from five or six days to between 10 and 15 days.
Emanuela Amico, a frequent visitor from Rome, said Favignana currently felt largely as it always had.
“It hasn’t changed much so far,” she said.
“The castle is newly illuminated at night, and fishermen offering boat tours are eager to tell visitors about the production and point out where scenes were filmed.”
($1 = 0.8676 euros)
(Reporting by Giselda VagnoniEditing by Keith Weir)
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