From Dubrovnik to Chernobyl, or the marketing of TV-series tourism

When I ran into groups of Game of Thrones fans in Dubrovnik a few years ago, I was not surprised. Combining a holiday in a beautiful, well-preserved medieval city by the sea with a tour of the show's filming locations suggests itself. When HBO recently launched the series Chernobyl, a question sprang to mind at once...

Who will go to Chernobyl?

Of course, comparing lively, seaside Dubrovnik with the dystopian-feeling parts of Ukraine is somewhat unfair in terms of historical events and socio-economic factors. In marketing terms, though, these are similar phenomena. Both places have lately been drawing series tourists.

Yes, it is no longer only individual enthusiasts of history and mysteries, or "urbexers". The small band of adventurers who have been able to visit the site of the accident officially since 2010 is being joined by a large group of "series people". This branch of tourism sits close to so-called dark — war tourism, which, incidentally, is flourishing in Ukraine too. In Chernobyl, fortunately, nobody is fighting; the threat is "only" radiation and the ever-present "scent" of nuclear apocalypse.

A tourism boom

The tour operator ChernobylWel.com has specialised in experiences in the "exclusion zone" since 2008. Where in the past the number of takers changed only slightly, the show's launch dealt every player involved an entirely new hand. According to the operator's marketing specialist Martin Petro, in May they welcomed 40% more tourists "in the exclusion zone" than last year, and the number of bookings has grown by 140% since the series launched. Similar figures are reported by Sergei Ivanchuk of the rival SoloEast Travel.

Experience, a team and charity

The moment the series aired, plenty of people looking for a quick profit appeared on the market. "We certainly notice the increased competition," Martin nods, "but we back ourselves. After all, we have been doing this for over 10 years and our enormous advantage lies in experienced guides who speak world languages. That matters. Besides, we are transparent, we hide nothing in our prices — no additional surcharges. We are simply all inclusive and we try to treat customers as friends."

Contributing to the operator's overall positive image is their charitable work for local residents, above all for the "babushkas" who returned to the "zone" despite the danger. 1% of the price of every tour goes directly to supporting them.

Data helps too

With the geometric growth in "cowboys" out to get rich quick on the current interest in Chernobyl, the need for better marketing has risen too. At Chernobylwel.com they put considerable resources into brand marketing, into public education and, increasingly, into data analysis. It was precisely on the basis of precise data that they were able to build model customer personas with basic psychological traits. And the whole of their marketing communication follows from those.

A Russian sequel

The series boom in Ukraine will certainly last a while yet. The Russians are arriving with their own version of the show, although, according to Martin, Ukrainians at home are happy with the series and see it as a quality portrayal of a true story. So Chernobyl, despite strong competition from film, will remain the world's number 1 series destination for this summer at least.