Harry Potter continues to offer magical boost to British tourism

EDINBURGH – Mr Sam Thorne guides Harry Potter fans through the Gothic streets of Edinburgh, where British author J.K. Rowling dreamt up the boy wizard more than three decades ago.

The Scottish capital attracts lovers of the bespectacled schoolboy from across the world, boosting Britain’s economy and helping to generate billions of pounds in global sales of Potter-related offerings.

“Here, you will encounter the tomb of Voldemort,” Mr Thorne tells his tour group, in reference to the villainous dark lord of magic who murdered Potter’s parents when he was a baby.

The tour, numbering some 20 fans, snakes through Greyfriars Kirkyard cemetery, where some gravestones bear names similar to several characters, although Rowling – who has been criticised for her views on transgender rights – has not admitted any link.

American Kate Merson, 43, works in Edinburgh and is on the walk with her husband and two children, seeking to satisfy her nine-year-old’s obsession with Potter – and her desire to explore the magical world of Hogwarts.

Rowling wrote seven Potter books, which were published between 1997 and 2007, spawning eight blockbuster movies in a multi-billion-dollar global phenomenon.

Fans remain captivated by Edinburgh, whose sights and scenes were the inspiration for fantastical characters and locations.

“It got busier and busier and crazier and crazier. There are more people coming in – who are all asking for tours as well,” says Mr Thorne, 33.

His Potter Trail lasts 1½ hours and takes several dozen tourists across the city’s pretty streets. His recommended tour donation is £20 (S$34.40) a person.

Mr Thorne’s popular guided walk ends in the colourful, Instagram-friendly Victoria Street, in front of two heaving Potter merchandise shops thronged by muggles, or non-wizards.

Ms Briya Maru, a 27-year-old Indian who lives in Toronto, queues in the driving rain in front of one of the shops, waiting to splurge on Potter souvenirs.

“It was symbolic for me to get them from here, the Harry Potter city,” she says, adding that she was searching for exclusive artefacts.

Manager Monica Alsina says business is brisk at her Enchanted Galaxy shop, where punters can buy a “magic wand” for £40, and the most expensive item – a limited-edition character sculpture – costs £650.

“The shop has been doing great. Harry Potter is just getting more and more popular,” she adds.

There have been no new books or films, but the Potterverse has expanded to include a hit video game, a play in London’s West End and the Fantastic Beasts film franchise (2016 to 2022), while a television series is in the works.

“Harry Potter is a fantastic engine for tourism in Scotland,” says Ms Jenni Steele, spokeswoman for tourism agency VisitScotland.

Fans of the extremely popular franchise also flock to filming destinations in England, including London and surrounding areas, the Cotswolds and York.

Devotees also visit The Making of Harry Potter film-studio park in Leavesden, which has attracted 19 million visitors since it opened in 2012.

Tickets for the attraction close to London cost from £53 each, and total revenues have already passed US$1 billion (S$1.35 billion).

But in recent years, Pottermania has been

overshadowed by Rowling’s views,

including her belief that biological sex is immutable. She denies being transphobic.

In Edinburgh, her views have been difficult for some.

“It’s been a tough time to be a Harry Potter fan as a result of her comments, chiefly because one of the reasons the wizarding world meant so much to so many people is because Harry was seen as an outsider,” says Mr Thorne.

“For people who really felt that, Harry Potter was a form of escapism for them, a place where they could feel accepted – it does feel like a betrayal.”

Yet the best-selling franchise continues to generate huge sales.

“Adults who grew up with it now show it to their children. It’s a fandom that only gets bigger,” says Ms Alsina. AFP