Courtesy of Netflix
The Netflix series “Bridgerton” became one of the most-watched shows on the streaming platform following its 2020 release. Since then, that popularity had a notable impact on the economy in the United Kingdom, where the show is filmed.
Following the success of “Bridgerton” Season 1, data from the Visa International Travel platform revealed Bath and North East Somerset became key travel destinations amongst viewers around the world and aided in the region’s tourism recovery.
In the first 28 days following its Netflix debut, “Bridgeton” was watched by over 82 million households.
The official tourism information website for Bath now features walking tours dedicated to the show’s popular filming locations, like the Assembly Rooms and Holburne Museum.
The city of Bath estimated that “Bridgerton” contributed at least £1.5 million, which is equivalent to $1.8 million, to the local economy from domestic visitors alone.
The show’s popularity particularly resonated among viewers beyond English-speaking countries like Japan and Qatar.
Following the release of “Bridgerton,” Bath appeared to experience a gradual increase in tourism and tourism spending due to Qatari and Japanese tourists.
Data from the first quarter of 2019 shows that Bath and North East Somerset accounted for 4% of travel-related transactions in the U.K. from Qatari tourists. However, in Q1-2021, that number jumped to 14% in spending from Qatari visitors.
Travel-related transactions in the U.K. from Japanese tourists went from 1% in Q1-2019 to 12 percent in the first quarter of 2021.
“Bridgerton” was released when the coronavirus pandemic forced countries to restrict international travel, making it difficult to determine its direct impact on U.K. tourism.
However, data patterns suggest that the Netflix series contributed to the recovery of Bath and North East Somerset tourism.
