Movie buffs are heading to Georgia in their droves to follow in the footsteps of their big screen heroes.

With a huge influx of film and television series being made in the U.S. state over the past few years thanks to a lucrative tax credit, a screen tourism boom has followed.

Blockbusters made in Atlanta and the surrounding counties that are slated for release in the next year include The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 & 2, Taken 3, Insurgent (sequel to Divergent), and Fast and Furious 7.

Hit series The Walking Dead, The Vampire Diaries and Constantine also bring in millions in revenue and employment to the state.

Attracted by a tax credit of up to 30 per cent for productions of USD$500,000 or more, film and television crews have flocked to the southern state.

‘Georgia has been the backdrop for many high profile productions like The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, The Walking Dead, and Insurgent – all of which have a huge fan following,’ says Lee Thomas, deputy commissioner of the Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office.

‘After filming has wrapped, these iconic movies and television shows will continue to attract fans from all over the world who want to visit the locations from their favorite films and television shows.’

According to the Georgia Department of Economic Development, 158 feature film and TV productions have been shot during the 2014 financial year, with a combined production spend of USD$1.4billion.

Tour companies specialising in showing fans filming locations for Hunger Games and The Walking Dead do big business.

The Hunger Games Unofficial Fan Tour charges USD$100 per ticket to take fans on a tour of Atlanta, including The Goat Farm in West Midtown, which stood in for the coal mining community of District 12 in the films, and The Swan House at the Atlanta History Center, which was used for President Snow’s house in Catching Fire.

The Atlanta History Center has seen 5,000 people take the Capitol Tour since it began in November of 2013.

Source : http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-2839118/The-Hunger-Games-Walking-Dead-causing-tourism-boom-Georgia-USA.html#ixzz3JZ04uPF2