A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, a little heralded film turned into one of the most successful movies of all time. And, along with a whole industry devoted to merchandise and a devotion bordering on the religious, it helped create a then-little known phenomenon - the movie trail.

Hotels in Tunisia now carry plaques to proclaim their roles in the original Star Wars movie, as well as the most recent addition to the saga, The Phantom Menace. And, while George Lucas may not have started the trend, his decision to shoot some of the early scenes of his science-fiction epic in the deserts of North Africa, was undoubtedly one of the factors in giving it a momentum all of its own.

Films can do wonders for tourism. Just ask the tea shops and tourist attractions north of the border about the effect of Braveheart. It seems everyone wants to see where their favourite film was shot, to stand on the same bridge as their heart-throb, to gaze out of the same window as their idol and to mourn at the place where their hero met his end.

Now, attractions up and down the country are hoping some of Harry Potter's magic will rub off on them. Director Chris Columbus' decision to shoot The Philospher's Stone entirely in this country must have had tourist board executives rubbing their hands with glee, waiting for the money to start rolling in when children persuade their parents to take them to see the 'real' Hogwarts school, the 'real' Platform nine-and-three-quarters and the 'real' Gringotts Bank.

The British Tourist Authority (BTA) is producing an updated version of its Movie Map, first published in 1996, to guide Potter fans to the locations used in the film. And they are looking at this as a way of luring tourists back to Britain, after a year when foot-and-mouth and anxiety over flying after September 11 have seen visitor numbers plummet.

Among the locations chosen by Columbus and his team were Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, Durham Cathedral, and Goathland Station, on the North York Moors Railway. But Durham Cathedral is keen to play down its association with the movies.

Areas used in the film are largely inaccessible to the public, and the cathedral has asked not to be included on the BTA map. But both Alnwick Castle and the North York Moors Railway have no such qualms, and are keen to reap the rewards for co-operating with a film that is already a record-breaker, even before it is released.

And the rewards could be plentiful indeed, according to a spokeswoman for the Northumbria Tourist Board. "In terms of promoting the region it is fantastic news," she says. "Visitor numbers for places that have been used in films increase by anything between ten and 200 per cent.

"Following on from the year we have had, this is tremendous and we're going to be using it to promote the region at every opportunity."

The omens are promising, going on the record of previous UK attractions.

Broughton Castle saw its visitor numbers rise by almost 15 per cent after it appeared in the Oscar-winning Shakespeare in Love. Saltram House, near Plymouth in Devon, had even greater success, with a 39 per cent increase in numbers after it took a starring role in the Emma Thompson-scripted Sense and Sensibility.

The Oscar winning film also helped boost numbers turning up at Jane Austen's house, Chawton, from 26,000 a year to 58,000, in addition to the boost from the success of the Pride and Prejudice TV series. Visitors have since levelled off at about 30,000 a year. And Pride and Prejudice sent numbers at Lyme Park in Cheshire soaring by 178 per cent.

According to VisitScotland, 80 per cent of tourists going to the Wallace Monument just outside Stirling said their visit was prompted by Mel Gibson's Braveheart, and in 1997 a report estimated that additional tourist income arising out of both Braveheart and Rob Roy amounted to £15m. While most of Braveheart was actually filmed in Ireland, the makers of Rob Roy also spent almost £7m in Scotland.

The Crown Hotel in Amersham has had a surge in the number of North Americans wanting to book a particular bedroom, explained only by its appearance in Four Weddings and a Funeral. And a spare tree had to be planted at the side of Hadrian's Wall after the original sycamore became so famous through its appearance in the Kevin Costner film, Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves.

And it's not just films which can make a difference. At least 250,000 people make the pilgrimage to Holmfirth in West Yorkshire every year, to see where the long running TV series Last of the Summer Wine is shot. Monarch of the Glen has helped sell Scotland's scenery around the world, and the impact of Inspector Morse on tourism in Oxford has long been recognised.

BTA spokeswoman Jo Leslie says: "Promoting British film and TV locations to overseas visitors can have a very positive effect on the local economy. We hope that the new Movie Map will prove just as popular with overseas visitors and increase tourist spend throughout the country."

The BTA's Movie Map has proved to be its most successful publication, the initial 250,000 print run selling out immediately. Its 200 film and TV locations were taken from 60 years of British cinema and small screen history, and an updated version, launched in 1999, included 67 films and TV programmes.

And earlier this year, the BTA branched out to provide a Bollywood version, capitalising on the number of Indian films shot in Britain, as movie-makers saw it as an exotic location for their domestic viewers. The Bollywood map features locations for 22 films shot in the UK since 1990, as well as 17 classics from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

The BTA hopes the use of screen images to lure visitors will help stimulate both short and long term tourism, encouraging them to stay longer, and, most importantly, to spend more.

But the Harry Potter version looks certain to be the most successful of all.

A BTA spokeswoman says: "Harry Potter is big everywhere, and it is basically a very British film. All the cast are British, all the locations are British, and we're hoping it will draw visitors.

"We can't really put a figure on it, but Britain has got a lot to offer in terms of the magical side, and hopefully it will give us a boost. Our Movie Maps are very successful publications - people are interested in seeing the film and then going to visit the place."

The new Movie Map is available on the BTA's website at www.visitbritain.com/moviemap

July 16, 2002 14:30