The tiny island of 3,000 people set to become tourist hotspot after The Odyssey

Favignana, a tiny Italian island with a population of just 3,000, is hoping Sir Christopher Nolan's blockbuster film The Odyssey results in an influx of tourists to its shores.

Released in July, the movie took over US$264 million (£196 million) globally on its opening weekend, marking the biggest debut of Sir Christopher’s career.

The feature retells Homer's epic story of Odysseus travelling home after the Trojan War.

Situated seven kilometres (four miles) off the western coast of Sicily, Favignana is the largest of the Egadi Islands and represents Ithaca, the homeland of Odysseus, in the film. The hilltop fortress of Castello di Santa Caterina serves as the protagonist's palace.

Local authorities hope to turn the connection with Sir Christopher’s movie into a lasting lure for the island.

Supported by Universal Pictures and Sicily's culture department, a permanent exhibition could open this October at a former Florio tuna-processing plant that functioned as the production headquarters.

"The idea is to allow visitors to experience the different stages of the production and see some of the costumes and equipment used in the movie," Favignana mayor Giuseppe Pagoto said.

Island businesses are counting on film tourism, following the success of the television series Inspector Montalbano, which successfully boosted visitor numbers along the south-eastern coast of Sicily.

"We believe all of western Sicily could become more attractive to American visitors thanks to The Odyssey," Giacomo Incarbona, head of the local hotel operators' association, said.

The Odyssey team spent several months on Favignana

Film tourism is a growing factor in the travel industry. The UN World Tourism Organisation estimates that destinations featured in hit films can boost visitor numbers by 25 per cent to 40 per cent, while consultancy Future Market Insights forecasts the sector could be worth almost US $157.5 billion (£116.88 billion) globally by 2036.

The production team for The Odyssey spent several months on the island between late 2024 and spring 2025, employing about 500 extras and workers.

Mr Pagoto estimated that the shoot generated between €1 million and €2 million ($1.15 million and $2.3 million) in local spending.

Mr Incarbona, whose three-star hotel hosted members of the hair and make-up departments, said that he was struck by the relationship that developed between the production teams and islanders.

"Nolan would cycle through town and greet everyone. Hollywood actress Zendaya, who played Athena, would sit in the square reading a book," he said.

Avoiding overtourism

International investors from North America, the Middle East and India have approached the municipality about high-end tourism opportunities ahead of the 2027 season, Mr Pagoto said.

The abandoned former Valtur holiday village is due to be redeveloped as a five-star resort, while the historic Palazzotto Florio in the island's main square is being converted into a luxury hospitality project scheduled to open in June 2027.

"For years, people renovated homes and turned them into B&Bs. Now we are seeing entrepreneurs invest in and redevelop major assets across the island," Mr Pagoto said.

Favignana is keen to avoid the curse of overtourism that has strained established destinations including Venice, Florence and the Dolomites.

"A shock wave could hurt us," Mr Incarbona said, hoping the film would extend the tourist season rather than drive a surge in visitor numbers at peak times.

The population can already swell from 3,000 to between 40,000 and 50,000 on summer days, putting pressure on services.

"We will have to prepare for growing demand, starting with beach cleaning," Mr Pagoto said.

The municipality has installed 200 mooring buoys around the island to stop boats anchoring close to shore and is considering further measures to regulate visitor flows.

One option is to tie permits for vehicles brought on to the island to a minimum-stay requirement. Authorities want to raise the average visit from five or six days to between 10 and 15 days.

Emanuela Amico, a frequent visitor from Rome, said that Favignana currently felt largely as it always had.

"It hasn't changed much so far," she said.

"The castle is newly illuminated at night, and fishermen offering boat tours are eager to tell visitors about the production and point out where scenes were filmed."