Game of Thrones filming in Andalucía set to bring multi-millions into region

These figures are based upon Northern Ireland when the region was used as a shooting location for part of what is said to be the most-watched TV series on record, says Carlos Rosado of the Andalucía Film Commission.

And ever since episodes of Game of Thrones were filmed in Dubrovnik, Croatia, tourist accommodation bookings have shot up by 29 per cent.

Visitors can also explore the areas used in scenes on an exclusive three-hour guided tour costing 57 euros where they can see the real-life neighbourhood in Dubrovnik's historic quarter – a UNESCO heritage site – which becomes the fictitious city of King's Landing in the series, as well as Lovrijenac Fortress where the bloodshed and battles took place.

Tourism in Croatia has rocketed since the former Yugoslav nation was used to film parts of the first four seasons of Game of Thrones, and has risen to a lesser extent in Malta, Scotland and Iceland as well as the Moroccan cities of Mdina and Essaouira, which have also been used for various scenes.

Now, southern Spain is set to be used for scenes in the fifth season and, although dates have not been confirmed, the Andalucía Film Commission has been working closely with production company HBO since the beginning of the year.

Representatives from HBO have visited Moorish palaces, castles, bull-rings, mansions, farmhouses, and examined city walls and even quarries in the provinces of Sevilla, Córdoba and Málaga, as well as making contact with companies in all three, especially on the Costa del Sol.

Inland Andalucía is said to be 'the perfect reflection' of the arid land of Dorne, the hottest and southermost region of the austral continent of Essos, and the architecture is very much in keeping with the periods in history the series is based upon.

Game of Thrones, influenced by and partly adapted from the novel A song of ice and fire, is set in two fictitious continents – the cold northerly realm of Westeros and the dry, sweltering southerly region of Essos – at the end of a 10-year summer, and follows social, religious, noble and violent battles between aristocracy and mythical creatures in their bid to reclaim the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms.

Winner of a Primetime Emmy, a Golden Globe, a Hugo Award and a Peabody Award, critics have, however, slammed the series for its scenes of nudity and violence – including sexual – given that each episode averages 14 deaths.

It is described by the series' executive producer David Benioff as 'The Sopranos in Middle Earth'.

Its audience ratings are the highest in history, with 18.4 million viewers per episode in the USA alone – and it is broadcast all over the world.

Writer George R. R. Martin has cleverly fused key periods in European history, mostly covering the Mediaeval period and extending approximately 100 years either side.

The English Wars of the Roses, the reign of Isabella the 'she-wolf' of France, the fall of Rome, the legend of Atlantis, the Byzantine era, the building of Hadrian's Wall, the Italian Renaissance, the Hundred Years' War and the Viking age which gave birth to Iceland's best-known ancient literature, the 'Sagas' are intricately interwoven into the same historical period without any conflict in costume, setting, culture or language that could make it obvious the Game of Thrones is played out over a stretch of some 500 years.