POLDARK is really pulling the visitors into Cornwall.
Research shows that a significant proportion of tourists are visiting the county after having their interest triggered by the first series of the new television adaptation of Winston Graham’s historical stories of mining, romance and intrigue.
The tourism body, Visit Cornwall, has found that just over a quarter of all visits this summer were sparked by Poldark.
And the good news for tourism businesses is that filming is now under way for the second series, with some scenes having already been shot at Charlestown.
Visit Cornwall says it’s not just the BBC’s Poldark creating interest in Cornwall: now in its seventh series, ITV’s Doc Martin is also drawing in the visitors. A total of 12 per cent of tourists surveyed quoted the series as being a significant influence on their decision to visit Cornwall.
The scenery showcased on-screen was the biggest attraction for viewers of both series, followed by the chance to visit historical locations and famous landmarks. For visitors inspired by Poldark, learning about Cornwall’s culture and heritage also featured in their decision making.
Visit Cornwall chief executive Malcolm Bell said: ‘These results illustrate how the power of screen can drive viewer desire to experience the fact behind the fiction.
‘At Visit Cornwall we’re seeing the effect in real-time with visitors to our website, visitcornwall.com, spiralling during and after an episode of Poldark.’