Could Belfast be set for Line of Duty tourists?

With Line of Duty seemingly at an end and lockdown measures easing, fans of the crime drama are planning trips to the NI locations where the programme was shot.
By Graeme Cousins
Published 4th May 2021, 15:42 BST
22/10/2020 Line of Duty Series 6 being filmed at the Fountain Centre in Belfast. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker22/10/2020 Line of Duty Series 6 being filmed at the Fountain Centre in Belfast. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker
22/10/2020 Line of Duty Series 6 being filmed at the Fountain Centre in Belfast. Pic Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker

Recent internet activity has shown holidays to Belfast have seen a 117.5% increase in demand across the UK over the last week.

The study was conducted by Peak Cottages based on local data pulled from TripAdvisor, tourism reports and ahrefs (online search tools).

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The highly-popular BBC show – starring Vicky McClure, Adrian Dunbar and Martin Compston – follows the investigations carried out by anti-corruption unit AC-12, with Sunday night’s season six finale reporting a record audience of 12.8 million UK viewers.

Belfast was the main filming location for the hit drama, with featured city spots including the BT Tower, the former Telegraph Building, Odyssey Pavilion and East Belfast Yacht Club.

Fans may be looking to stay connected to the show by visiting the Northern Ireland capital, as searches for Belfast getaways more than doubled in the run up to the final episode, while queries for ‘Belfast ferry’ and ‘train to Belfast’ increased by 21% and 44% respectively.

Other searches that saw a rise around the Line of Duty finale included ‘who was H’ and character names - while, interestingly, ‘Line of Duty disappointing ending’ saw a 2450% increase over the last week, while ‘Line of Duty reaction’ was up 1600%.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Shannon Keary, Digital PR Manager at Peak Cottages, commented on the data: “With online trends having dominated social media over the last year as Brits have been staying at home, it’s no surprise that we’re seeing increased demand for themed or fantastical getaways now restrictions have begun to ease across the UK.

“As well as considering things like cost, activities and accommodation when deciding where to go on holiday, more parents are now starting to consider where offers the best bang for their buck when it comes to relevance around online trends such as food, TV and fashion

“The Line of Duty finale has been one of the most-anticipated TV events of this year so far, so it’s not surprising that fans are looking to visit top filming locations to relive key moments.”

Line of Duty was found to be the most-popular TV show analysed in the study, based on average monthly search volume, while other top trends include the royal family, house plants and overnight oats.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

To find out more about which UK cities are the trendiest holiday hotspots in 2021, please visit the Trendiest Staycations study at www.peakcottages.com/blog/insta-worthy-staycations

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Ireland and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Alistair Bushe

Editor

Related topics:BelfastLine of Duty