Twilight vamps boost travel worldwide

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn is packing movie theaters worldwide as vampire fans turn out to see the latest installment. For many, viewing the film multiple times satisfies their hunger without compulsion. For others, travel is in order as the more-than-a-movie lifestyle requires active participation to satisfy their burning desire.

Even before the film’s New York opening earlier this month, fans turned the emotional journey they knew the film would represent into a literal trek, coming cross-country for the premiere.

“We came all the way from North Dakota to come to a New York premiere of Twilight”, die-hard fan John Myhre told MTV news.

In Brazil’s Mamangua Bay, close to Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, the glamorous coastal home used for filming is now being rented out for $7,000 a night. The 11,000 square-foot property , designed by architect Thiago Bernardes, boasts its own private beach as well as luxury furnishings.

The so-called “Twilight Effect” looks to be benefiting all of Brazil too with country-wide tourism numbers up.In the tiny 3,000-resident city of Forks, Washington, the main setting for the series, 70,000 visitors now make the pilgrimage each year. They’re all into it too. Twilight tours are being offered and local businesses are getting in on the action with restaurants offering Twilight-themed options. Subway’s “Twilight Special” has the marinara sauce oozing and local eatery Sully’s Drive-in has a popular Bella Burger which comes with a special sauce and pineapple.

Even Hotels.com verifies the Twilight mania saying online statistics have searches for rooms in Forks up by 225%. Squamish, the remote town north of the Canadian border and setting for the Twilight wedding is showing a 300% rise in accommodation searches. Honeymoon location Rio de Janeiro has seen an 86% increase in searches.

Hooked on all things Twilight? See Gadling’s Top 10 travel destinations for Twilight fans

Flickr photo by ewen and donabel