Cornwall braces for ‘unsustainable’ tourism because of House of the Dragon

Some are concerned that fans will flock to Cornwall because of the series

There is not long to wait for Game of Thrones fans to finally return to the world of Westeros, with prequel series House of the Dragon hitting our screens on Sunday night. But while millions of fans around the world will be counting down the hours, there are some who aren't so excited by the series arrival. Just like Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon has been filmed in some stunning locations and landscapes. Locations across Northern Ireland have become pilgrimage destinations for hardcore fans to see where some of their favourite scenes took place. For House of the Dragon, a lot of filming took place in England, including locations in Cornwall. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DotnJ7tTA34 Filming for the prequel series actually began with a two-week shoot in Cornwall. St Michael's Mount was used to depict Driftmark, the ancestral home of House Velaryon, who will be key players in the upcoming HBO series. Meanwhile, Holywell Beach was used to film some scenes, and an army camp was created at Kynance Cove. Inevitably, fans will be flocking to these locations once the series begins. [caption id="attachment_354916" align="alignnone" width="2048"] Kynance Cove was one of the Cornish locations where House of the Dragon was shot (Getty)[/caption] But the Guardian reports that this is a cause for concern for some tourism workers in the area who are already struggling to cope with the growing holiday market.

Mike Bevens, managing director of accommodation provider Sawday’s, said: "The constant desire for insatiable growth by some holiday operators is unsustainable.

"The industry can’t keep gorging itself on the generosity of local infrastructure, communities and the environment without considering the longer-term effects."

But others are excited by the potential boost in tourism. Malcolm Bell, Visit Cornwall’s chief executive, said: "We’re hoping that House of the Dragon might give us exposure to a younger audience worldwide." House of the Dragon is set 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones and focuses on the Targaryen family history. The series involves an ensemble cast including the likes of Matt Smith, Paddy Considine, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, Rhys Ifans, Eve Best, Steve Toussaint, Fabien Frankel, and Graham McTavish. Related links:

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