Favignana hopes Nolan’s "Odissea" will bring visitors — without mass tourism
The Egadi island used as Ithaca in Nolan’s film plans a permanent exhibition but officials want to avoid mass tourism.
Favignana, the largest of Sicily’s Egadi Islands, is banking on Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster "Odissea" to raise its profile among international visitors — but local leaders say they want growth without surrendering the island to mass tourism.
From film set to visitor draw
After its July premiere, "Odissea" earned more than $264 million worldwide in its first weekend, marking the biggest debut in Nolan’s career. The film retells Homer’s epic about Odysseus’s long return home after the Trojan War.
The island, about seven kilometres off Sicily’s west coast, stood in for Ithaca in the production. Castello di Santa Caterina, a fortress on the island’s highest ridge, appears in the film as Odysseus’s palace.
Local officials plan to turn the connection into a lasting tourist asset. With backing from Sicily’s Department of Culture and Universal Pictures, organizers hope to open a permanent exhibition as early as October in the former Florio tuna-processing plant, which served as the production’s main base on the island.
"The idea is that visitors will be able to experience the different stages of filming and see some of the costumes and equipment that were used in the film," said Favignana mayor Giuseppe Pagoto.
Business owners on the island are optimistic that the wave of film-related visitors could lift tourism across western Sicily, particularly from the United States. "We believe that the whole of western Sicily could become more attractive to American visitors thanks to 'Odissea'," said Giacomo Incarbona, president of the local hoteliers' association.
Film-driven tourism has become an increasingly important segment of the travel industry. The UN World Tourism Organization estimates destinations featured in hit films can see visitor numbers rise by 25 to 40 percent, while consultancy Future Market Insight forecasts the global film-tourism sector could approach a value of about $157.5 billion by 2036.
The "Odissea" crew spent several months on Favignana from late 2024 into spring 2025, hiring roughly 500 extras and production staff. Pagoto estimates that filming generated local spending between $1.15 and $2.3 million.
Photo: press material from the event
