Cornish beaches featured in TV series Poldark have become overrun, prompting authorities to deter visitors. But it’s a problem worldwide...

Location scouts spend a great deal of time searching for the perfect spot to film TV series and movies, to ensure they get the ideal location.

But hosting a popular TV show or movie is as much of a blessing as it is a curse when it comes to the boom in tourism it often triggers; destinations that might not otherwise be visited become hot tourist spots and places of interest in their own right.

Only recently, the Visit Cornwall tourist board stepped in to avoid overcrowding at Kynance Cove and Porthcurno Beach, places made popular by Poldark.

Flight comparison website jetcost.co.uk has highlighted several more locations suffering from overexposure.

Where: Dubrovnik, Croatia

TV show: Game Of Thrones

Dubrovnik is the setting of probably the most famous and recognisable landmark in the Game Of Thrones series: the fictional city of King’s Landing. Fans desperate to visit the real-life King’s Landing have caused a massive overtourism problem in Dubrovnik, and officials have had to take measures to try and counter the issue. The volume of street vendors and outdoor restaurants have been cracked down on, whilst a restriction on the number of people coming off cruise ships has been put in place. Scenes for Star Wars Episode VIII were also filmed here.

Where: Skellig Michael, Ireland

Film: Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Skellig Michael, located off the coast of County Kerry, is a UNESCO world heritage site, and recent featured in the filming of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. In 2017, there were 17,000 visitors to the remote island, an increase of 5,000 from two years previously. Numbers travelling to the island exceed the desired number of 11,000 per summer, put into place by UNESCO, and heritage group An Taisce have expressed their worries that the island may be in danger due to its fragility.

Where: Grjotagja Cave, Iceland

TV show: Game Of Thrones

The geothermal cave in Iceland is another destination made popular by hit series Game Of Thrones, but the throngs of tourists have had a negative impact on the location. Visitors to the cave rose from dozens daily to several hundred, and litter, bodily waste and toilet paper could be found everywhere. This year the cave has been forced to close temporarily to visitors, until a plan of action can be put in place.

Where: Maya Bay, Thailand

Film: The Beach

Maya Bay, located on the island of Ko Phi Phi in Thailand, was made popular by Leonardo DiCaprio’s 1998 film The Beach, and has seen an increase in tourists ever since. Overtourism to the area has caused a rise in waste and damage to the coral, and in June this year, authorities temporarily closed the area in the hope that the beach can recover.

Where: Glen Etive, Scotland

Films: Skyfall, Harry Potter, Braveheart

This idyllic location in the Scottish Highlands has been used as the setting for a number of films. In 2014 there was over a 40% increase in the number of tourists to visit the location on the year before, and it led to massive problems concerning litter and fly-tipping.