Edinburgh is banking on a boost to tourism on the back of the success of Netfix’s adaptation of David Nicholls’s romantic novel One Day, which is partly set and filmed in the capital.
The 14-part series, which launched on February 8, follows the lives of Dexter (Leo Woodall) and Emma (Ambika Mod), who meet on their last day as students at the University of Edinburgh in 1988 and begin a tumultuous relationship spanning decades.
The book was previously made into a 2011 film starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess, although with a 36% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a not-much-better 50% audience rating the big-screen version probably hasn’t inspired too many fans to seek out the locations.
Netflix’s stab at the novel has fared much better, however, with 93% critical approval and 88% from audiences.
Jenni Steele, film and creative industries manager for VisitScotland, told The Times: “Our research shows that almost one in five visitors from our top international markets are inspired to travel to Scotland after watching movies and television shows filmed or set here.
“The book, film and now TV adaptation of One Day are helping to showcase Edinburgh to UK and international audiences.”
The Edinburgh scenes take in landmarks including the Old College quadrangle, the summit of Arthur’s Seat, Viewforth and Grosvenor Crescent.
Edinburgh is no stranger to the big or small screen, with movies such as Fast & Furious 9, Avengers: Infinity War and Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga all filming there.
The city has also developed a bustling tourist industry on the back of being the “inspiration” for Harry Potter, although the franchise has never shot there.
Potter creator JK Rowling herself has explicitly denied that the city served as the inspiration for any locations in her books, telling fans on Twitter: “I’ve never seen 99 per cent of the places that claim to be the inspiration.” She added: “One of my children was at a loose end one afternoon and went on one of those Potter walking tours with their best mate for a laugh. They came home with a ton of information that was news to me.”
Travel search engine, KAYAK, has reported a 69% increase in UK flight searches to Edinburgh since the Netflix show aired, compared to the previous month.
