The doors have opened at the Game of Thrones Studio Tour in County Down, ushering in what has been described as a game-changing tourist attraction for Northern Ireland.
The £40 million attraction at Linen Mill Studios just outside Banbridge spreads across 110,000 square feet on the site where around one third of the hit HBO series was filmed between 2011 and 2019.
While the legacy of Game of Thrones already provided a draw for tourists to Northern Ireland, the studio tour is expected to attract 600,000 visitors a year and generate around £400 million a year in tourism revenue.
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It has become the world’s first and only officially-licensed Game of Thrones studio tour attraction, and, according to Economy Minister Gordon Lyons, is “a tangible symbol of the show’s legacy in Northern Ireland”.
“This is the only place on the planet where you can see first-hand some of the stunning sets, intricate costumes, imaginative props, breath-taking concept sketches and many more authentic items related to the show,” the minister said.
He said the tour has a critical spoke in the Northern Ireland tourism offering.
“As we continue to emerge from the pandemic with increasing optimism, the timing of the opening of the Game of Thrones Studio Tour could not be more opportune,” he said. “As international travel opens up once more, Northern Ireland has added this world class attraction to its already dynamic tourism offering.”
The tour was developed by Linen Mill Studios under license from Warner Brothers Consumer Products.
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“I congratulate studio owners on bringing the project to fruition and look forward to seeing the positive impact the Game of Thrones Studio Tour has on the local tourism landscape for many years to come.”
The tour will allow fans to explore the vast array of original sets, as well as the collection of costumes, props and set pieces. Visitors will be able to step inside the Great Hall at Winterfell and take a look at Daenerys Targaryen’s imposing Dragonstone throne.
They will also be able to step inside the King's Landing Red Keep courtyard with the Westeros map painted on the ground; see the 'Painted Table' in Dragonstone where Stannis and Daenerys planned their respective attacks on King's Landing; and - perhaps most importantly - see the Iron Throne in the Throne room.