Game of Thrones boosts Croatia’s economy

One of the most shocking figures I uncovered when I was writing about the economic impact of Game of Thrones filming was that over half the population of Dubrovnik, Croatia’s college-age population was unable to find jobs after graduation. It was a figure that left no doubt as to the impact of the European recession on the country. But, as Bloomberg notes, having Game of Thrones film there has had a positive impact on the economy.

The article charmingly refers to King’s Landing as “teeming with Machiavellian Lannisters” even though there will be far fewer Lannisters in the city this year as compared to previous years. It also notes that the show has brought in tourism dollars to the tune of $10 million. Interestingly, the mayor of Dubrovnik, Andro Vlahusic, hopes that “Game of Thrones will do for Croatia what Lord of the Rings did for New Zealand.”

That seems a somewhat realistic expectation, especially if HBO is looking to shoot for more than seven seasons, as King’s Landing will always be a primary location for the show. I’m also quite curious about the kind of impact Thrones filming will have on Spain in the long term. We’ll have to revisit that subject in a year, when we’ve all had a chance to see the country’s gorgeous locales in action—and when we know whether the show will be returning to Andalusia for Season 6. Regardless, Croatia is also planning to install a Game of Thrones theme park, so at least they’re taking full advantage of the opportunity the show’s buzz has provided them.

• Published on 04/03/2015 at 5:00 PM CDT
• Last updated on 04/06/2015 at 6:05 PM CDT