Harry Potter mania on a UK visa

UK tourist figures are set to magically rise following the release of the sixth Harry Potter film. While official data has yet to be released, the film’s impact on tourism is expected to rival that of its predecessors.

Releases of earlier Harry Potter films motivated tourists to obtain UK visas to visit iconic filming locations.

The UK Film Council in 2007 reported: “Alnwick Castle, the location for Hogwarts, saw a 120% rise in visitor numbers following the release of Harry Potter. The films are estimated to have brought in £9m in tourist revenue to the area.”

The sudden popularity of tourist destinations like Alnwick Castle inspired several tour companies to develop Harry Potter tours. Tourists get to experience the thrill of travelling between Platform 9 ¾, the enchanted Great Hall and Hogwarts Express.

Jason Doll-Steinberg of British Tours says, “We do a lot of big tours and Harry Potter is one of the bigger ones. It’s up there with our tour of Stonehenge at dawn.”

The latest film, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, earned ₤104m on its first day of release. 

The Harry Potter series has been filmed exclusively in the UK at the request of the books’ author JK Rowling.

The top three UK destinations for Harry Potter are:

Oxford University, Oxford

The stunning gothic structure of Oxford’s Christ Church College is the site of the magical Great Hall at Hogwarts. Many of the moving staircase scenes were also filmed here. The university’s Divinity School is the site of Hogwarts hospital in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Bodleian Library provided the setting for many of Harry, Ron and Hermione’s library exploits. Additional Oxford University buildings and corridors also feature in the films.

King’s Cross Station, London

The busiest train station in Britain is the site of the mysterious Platform 9 ¾, where wizard students are seen on film boarding the Hogwarts Express.

Gloucester Cathedral, Gloucester

Various ghost scenes, shots of talking portraits, and Harry’s Moaning Myrtle encounters were filmed in this 1,300 year old place of worship.

Harry Potter fans span the globe, with Japanese and US enthusiasts proving the most popular visitors to Harry Potter ‘hot spots’. 

Non-British visitors should be aware that UK visas may be required to visit filming locations around the country.