Game of Thrones locations opening to tourism after season 8
Today, HBO confirmed that following season 8, they are planning to make a number of their locations in Northern Ireland into tourist attractions, including the aforementioned ones as well as Winterfell. The series is also looking to offer tours of Linen Mill Studios, where many interior scenes were filmed. It’s fairly easy to figure out why they would do this — it’s a great source of long-term money, and it also continues to provide jobs and revenue for people in Northern Ireland, which has given a lot to the series over the years. The prequel series may also film there, but given that it’s set so many years before, it’s unlikely to feature many of the same locations — if it does, they can always shut down tourism for however long is necessary.
In a statement announcing these locations becoming something more for tourists, Jeff Peters, HBO’s Vice-President of Licensing and Retail, had the following to say:
“HBO is thrilled to celebrate the work of the Game of Thrones creative team and crew by preserving these locations and inviting fans to visit Northern Ireland and explore Westeros in person. We look forward to opening the gates and sharing the excitement of stepping inside these amazing sets with Game of Thrones fans from around the world. The opportunity to celebrate Northern Ireland’s pivotal role in the life and legacy of the show and share its culture, beauty and warmth is also a huge inspiration behind these legacy projects.”
We also think that for the cast members themselves, there’s also something rather sweet about this. Think in terms of years down the road; if they’re ever feeling nostalgic about a certain time of their career, they could always come back and reminisce a little.
Game of Thrones is set to premiere the final season next year; for more news about what to expect, take a look at the link here.
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