Another way to travel: the power of stories

At Netflix, if there’s one thing we know, it’s that great stories can be found in the farthest corners of the world. We also know that their protagonists, with their emotions, dreams and misfortunes, can bring us closer to realities that we thought were alien to us, while we enjoy the freedom to choose where and how we want to enjoy them.

We have been travelling through our screens since John Logie Baird invented the television on 26 January 1926. Stories, meanwhile, have been taking us on journeys for much longer. Today, thanks to the infinite possibilities offered by services such as Netflix, these journeys have multiplied – in both number and intensity – to unexpected heights. What is more, they have transformed into a unique opportunity to boost tourism and a country’s profile.

The impact of audiovisual productions is not only limited to our immediate environment. Indeed, these universal tales have a unique way of connecting us with the world, regardless of our age, background or nationality.

Recently, we undertook a study with the World Tourism Organization, in which we used interviews with 15,000 people from six countries (France, Brazil, Germany, Mexico, Argentina and the USA), to analyse how content produced in Spain has increased interest in our country. The conclusions were unambiguous: viewers of content made in Spain develop a greater affinity for our country, culture and traditions (37%) than those who have not seen local content (17%). Likewise, those who watch content produced in Spain have a significantly higher desire to experience our country first-hand, at 81% of viewers versus 61% of non-viewers. The result is clear: Spain is a top destination amongst interviewees in all six countries of reference.

In addition to their enormous cultural value, these customs and traditions provide the perfect stage for narrating the stories that make us who we are on the screen. Just as we do when producing our series and films, this guide is an example of how real-life stories allow us to travel through the territories that make up our country.

As well as being an opportunity to represent diversity, the stories that emerge from audiovisual productions are a vehicle for dialogue, for reflection and for questioning the status quo. The entertainment sector has the power to transform and to ensure a future in which the richness of this diversity is valued and celebrated.

Diego Ávalos, Vice President of Content for Netflix in Spain and Portugal