Tourism: the summer showdown between Favignana and Ithaca – the islands of Nolan’s *Odyssey*
The first was a film set; the second is traditionally considered the homeland of Ulysses: both are capitalising on ‘set tourism’ to attract new visitors
One is the cinematic Ithaca, the other the mythical Homeric homeland of Odysseus. Both enjoy a boost in tourist appeal thanks to The Odyssey, the film by Christopher Nolan which has so far grossed $1.11 billion at the global box office and reshaped travellers’ summer itineraries.
The phenomenon
The rivalry between Favignana, the largest island in the Egadi archipelago, and the Greek island in the Ionian Sea, is a Mediterranean contest fuelled by film tourism – the desire to visit locations seen on the big screen: a growing phenomenon in the travel industry. UNWTO (the United Nations World Tourism Organisation) estimates that destinations featured in blockbuster films can increase visitor numbers by between 25% and 40%, whilst the consultancy firm Future Market Insights forecasts that the sector could be worth nearly $157.5 billion worldwide by 2036.
Ithaca–Favignana
In Nolan’s film, Favignana is transformed into Ithaca, home to Penelope, her son Telemachus and the legendary king, Odysseus, who seeks to return there after the end of the Trojan War. The home of the Homeric hero was reconstructed near the castle of Santa Caterina, a 15th-century residence atop the mountain of the same name (the interior of the palace, however, was reconstructed in a soundstage in Los Angeles). As reported on the ‘Italy for movies’ website, ‘Cala Rotonda was used for the seascenes and as a point of access by sea; the islet of Preveto was the ideal location for recreating a mythological village; the fishing harbour of Favignana became an ancient Greek port, where twelve set ships were moored’.”
The production team for The Odyssey spent several months on the island between late 2024 and spring 2025, employing around 500 extras and crew members. The mayor Giuseppe Pagoto, speaking to Reuters, said that this presence generated between 1 and 2 million euros in local spending.
But the long-term effects could be far greater: according to estimates cited by Variety, the film could generate $287 million in tourism revenue over the next three years and over $500 million in the long term.
