LIMA, June 8 (NNN-ANDINA) — The worldwide release of “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,” which features the Peruvian cities of Cusco and Tarapoto (San Martin region), could result in an increase of up to 50% in the arrival of foreign tourists to the country, the Peruvian Commission for Promotion of Export and Tourism (PromPeru) said.
“These figures may vary. It will depend on the support given to the promotion of the film at an international level and how it generates recognition among the audience, so that people can identify the destinations and make a trip to Peru, based on that,” PromPeru’s Business Investment Promotion Director Daniel Cordova told Andina news agency.
“There is evidence at the international level regarding other mega-productions, such as ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings,’ where the flow of tourists in the years following their releases increased between 20% and 50%, both to the United Kingdom and New Zealand (respectively),” Cordova stated.
“So, in the case of Peru, an increase in tourist arrivals in this magnitude could also be possible,” he added.
The PromPeru’s official pointed out that the film’s showcase in global billboards will be used and complemented with a powerful advertising campaign.
“In the next four to five weeks, PromPeru will launch an international campaign in locations situated in key places such as the cities of Los Angeles, Mexico City, New York City, and Madrid,” he explained.
“We will also launch digital and social media campaigns, in such a way that, in addition to the people’s interest in the film, we can join said support to its promotion,” the official added.
Cordova underscored that the “Film in Peru” strategy has been developed since the end of last year.
“Filming the international mega-production ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ in Peru during 2021 has been a great and major opportunity,” he remarked.
Set in the early 1990s, “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” stars Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback. They lead a military and research team that gets caught up in the conflict between the Autobots and the villainous Decepticons on Earth.
More than 30 vehicles, including trucks, high-speed cars, motorbikes, and VW classics were shipped to Peru for the sci-fi movie. Shot last year from late September to November, the production took over the towns of Cusco, Tarapoto, and the iconic citadel of Machu Picchu, among other key sites.
“Filming ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ in Machu Picchu is a great privilege. Our goal is to evoke the spiritual connection that anyone feels when they are in sacred places like this and enjoy what has been achieved by this great civilization. It is equally our responsibility not to detract from the story, which is why we are working hard to keep the historical part separate from the fictional narratives we are feeding it,“ filmmaker Steven Caple Jr. said.
“As a filmmaker, I find it truly inspiring to immerse our film in Peruvian culture, to film in Cusco, located high and deep in the Andes; where it is possible to find traces of a sophisticated Inca civilization that survived over time and continues to be alive in the Cusco communities,” Caple Jr. added about filming in Peru.
The film will be released on Friday, June 9, 2023 in the United States. The premiere took place with great anticipation last weekend in the cities of Lima, Cusco, and Tarapoto. Attendees also enjoyed a series of activations with traditional dances and an exhibition of cars used in the movie. — NNN-ANDINA
