Film festival expected to boost traveller numbers

A new film festival for the UK is attempting to encourage Britons to travel overseas to their favourite movie locations.

Travel guide provider Lonely Planet has this week launched its own film festival at cinemas across the UK.

The festival is screening films from across the globe, including The Italian Job, Amelie and Volver, in order to inspire would-be travellers to book a flight overseas to destinations such as Paris, Turin and Spain.

Cinemas taking part in the festival include those in Brixton, Greenwich, Exeter, York and Edinburgh.

"We think that great travel is inspired by great films. You just have to look at the boom in travel to somewhere like New Zealand or numerous reasons to visit New York City to think that," Lonely Planet travel editor Tom Hall told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

The Lonely Planet Film Festival will run until March 29th and attendees will be able to quiz Lonely Planet staff about the best holiday destinations between screenings.

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