Prince William and Kate Middleton have created a fair amount of buzz the last few months -- from the celebrated royal wedding and honeymoon in the secluded Seychelles to their first official foreign visits to Canada and the United States in recent weeks.
But beyond all the glitz and glamour, it seems there is a hidden benefit: the announcement of William and Kate's new titles -- the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge -- may have caused a boost in travel to Cambridge, England.
, the city's official tourism organization, reported a 25 per cent increase in the number of guided tours during the month of the royal wedding and the month following it, compared to the same period last year. In addition, attendance at official soccer games (called footfall in the U.K.) went up by 9 per cent, hotels have noted more international guests than normal, and traffic to the city's tourism Web site from U.S. visitors increased by 82 per cent since April.
The manager of The Cambridge Gift Shop, one of the official retailers of the University of Cambridge clothing, said that in recent months, the shop welcomed many visitors from North and South America, including a significant number from Brazil, according to the local tourist organization.
An up tick in tourism after the royal wedding is not a surprise.
"Tourism really spiked to the U.K." in the year immediately following the weddings of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981 and Andrew and Sarah Ferguson in 1986, said Emma Thomas, media relations manager, North America, for , the official tourism organization for England.
There are plenty of sites associated with royal history to see in Cambridge, including Castle Hill, where William of Normandy built a castle in 1068, two years after his conquest of England, and King's College, at the University of Cambridge, founded by Henry VI in 1441.
"It's just under an hour from London by train," said Thomas, adding that the city also offers plenty of non-royal fun, like punting on the River Cam, visiting the Cambridge University Botanic Garden -- 40 acres in the heart of the city -- and grabbing a bite at The Eagle, one of the city's many traditional pubs, that dates back to the 16th century.
The city also hosts many festivals, including the held in late July Cambridge (where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have not visited since being granted their new titles) has always been a top tourist destination, Thomas said, but is now "set to become a must-see."
Is celebrity-inspired tourism a good thing?
"If it's done well, it can be very positive," said Sharr Prohaska, clinical associate professor, Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management at New York University. "And I think if anybody can do it, the British can."
Tourism boosted by the famous, "if done with value and integrity," not only stimulates the economy, it can encourage learning about a country's culture and history in a meaningful way, said Prohaska, who specializes in cultural heritage tourism.
Through the years, she said, the Pope has inspired tourism to Italy and the Vatican, Gandhi has prompted travel to India, and Oprah's recent visit to Australia has resulted in a surge of interest in that country.
Prohaska said she wouldn't be surprised if tourism to Wales, where the royal couple have a home, increases also.
"Prince William and Kate are doing an amazing job as ambassadors," Prohaska said. "I think it is very positive for Britain. It's a great opportunity to educate people."
