By Tracy Farhad
Solvang Conference & Visitors Bureau
“Travels with Darley” on PBS, “My Classic Car with Dennis Gage” on Motor Trend TV, “Vanderpump Rules” on Bravo, and the Netflix movie “Paddleton” starring Ray Romano — these shows all debuted in the last two months, and they feature Solvang as their location.
Filming movies, television shows, videos and commercials in Solvang is an important source of revenue for our economy in the short and long term, especially in the winter and mid-week. That’s why Solvang CVB staff members are working with location managers, producers, directors and media reps to share the benefits of filming in “California’s Denmark,” only two hours up the coast from Hollywood yet a world apart.
When a film, movie, TV or video cast and crew stay in a local hotel, dine in a restaurants and buy products and services, the “multiplier effect” of their purchases trickles down into all segments of our local economy in the form of tax revenues (hotel and sales) as well as helping pay for wages and salaries in local businesses.
The same “multiplier effect” occurs when the film, movie, TV show, video or commercial airs, generating a new interest or rekindling previous memories so that viewers want to visit Solvang to experience what the “stars” experienced.
Both location filming and the resulting “products” create positive, measurable sources of revenue for the tourism industry and benefit the entire economy long-term.
Here is a specific example: Solvang CVB staff worked with star Darley Newman, her cast and crew of the PBS-TV show “Travels with Darley” for several months last spring and they filmed here for two days in June 2018.
“Travels with Darley” reaches 44 million homes and has a social media following of more than 200,000. The show featuring Solvang first aired on KCET (PBS-TV in Los Angeles) on Jan. 31 and Feb. 4-6; and on our website, www.SolvangUSA.com.
Google Analytics showed an immediate spike of more than 1,000 users (compared to 2018) over those dates. The show continues to generate hundreds of email and social media posts and requests for information.
The show will air on PBS stations around the country for years to come, as well as on Amazon Prime network and others. You can see a preview video here: https://vimeo.com/283226678/39322aee05
You’ll recall the movie “Sideways,” which filmed here in 2003, premiered in September 2004 and won multiple awards, including an Oscar. Visitors from around the world want to experience what the stars did on that weeklong wine tasting adventure, and Solvang CVB still receives requests and provides specialty maps to do it. For more details, check out www.solvangusa.com/about-us/movies-filmed-in-solvang/
Eyes that are focused on Solvang on movie, TV, video, computer or smartphone screens make positive economic sense. Stay tuned!
Tracy Farhad is the Executive Director of the Solvang Conference & Visitors Bureau, the non-profit agency promoting Solvang’s culture, cuisine, shopping, arts and attractions. For more information, visit www.SolvangUSA.com.
