Graduate students in University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications online master’s specializations in Social Media and Global Strategic Communication are teaming up with Winterfell Tours, one of the only “screen tourism” locales in the world for the award-winning HBO show Game of Thrones.

For their capstone project, students will be developing a communication marketing plan to promote tourism to the already popular Game of Thrones filming locations including Winterfell Castle, Walder Frey’s Twins, Robb Stark’s camp, and more than a dozen other locations at Old Castle Ward and estate in Northern Ireland.

Winterfell Tours provides an immersive opportunity for Game of Thrones fans to experience medieval banquets, archery lessons on the Winterfell Castle set where the actual actors were trained, bicycle tours and boat tours of additional show locations, glamorous camping, and photo opportunities in costume and with Summer and Grey Wind, two of the Direwolfs on the show.

“The College is excited to offer this ‘real-world’ communication opportunity to our students,” said Michael Weigold, associate dean for Undergraduate Affairs and director of Distance Education for the College.

“Game of Thrones is the most popular show on television, and being able to work with our students and Winterfell Tours creating a marketing plan to increase tourism is a tremendous opportunity for collaboration,” said Andrew Selepak, director of the Social Media program.

The capstone is taught by Bob Hughes, manager of Specialty Products at Georgia Power in Atlanta, Ga.  The capstone is the culmination course of the College’s online graduate degrees and challenges students to utilize and apply skills learned throughout their graduate coursework.

Posted: August 25, 2017
Category: College News