“From a statistical perspective, we have about 5,000 people who have downloaded the app, which, in our reality, is very positive,” stated Alexandre Gaudêncio, President of the Ribeira Grande City Council, located on São Miguel Island in the Azores, during a conversation today.
Indirectly, the interactive guide (accessible via mobile phone) has encouraged “hundreds of tourists” to explore the streets of Rabo de Peixe, eager to visit “the locations featured in the Netflix series.”
The mayor described the impact of the tourist guide on the region as “extremely positive,” underscored by feedback on social media from several celebrities, as well as economic benefits driven by the considerable number of visitors to the area who frequent local dining establishments.
Many visitors “already plan tours with specialized travel agencies that cover various spots where the series was filmed,” and maritime-tourist activities, previously non-existent, have begun to appear in Rabo de Peixe, “also as a result of the Netflix series.”
Since the launch of the tourist guide in October 2023, “there has been a greater positive tourist pressure, leading to the establishment of new tourism-related businesses in Rabo de Peixe.”
The mayor emphasized that “the series’ impact was global” for both Rabo de Peixe and the Ribeira Grande municipality, noting that the show was “one of the most viewed in over 150 countries.”
Alexandre Gaudêncio further noted a significant rise in the demand for housing, particularly in Rabo de Peixe, following the series’ premiere.
“This is also an economic indicator, considering the number of people now seeking homes to live in Rabo de Peixe, […] it is undeniably a positive economic fact,” he stated.
The demand for accommodations within Rabo de Peixe’s Local Lodging establishments “increased considerably” after the series aired.
“I would say the Netflix series brought very positive economic benefits to the village [of Rabo de Peixe], to the municipality [of Ribeira Grande] in general [and] to the island [of São Miguel]. I sincerely believe that our council’s leadership in exposing the series has been timely, and we are seeing the results,” concluded the President of the Ribeira Grande City Council.
The interactive guide featuring key filming locations of the “Rabo de Peixe” series is available for download on iOS and Android mobile platforms.
“Simply search for Rabo de Peixe, and you will quickly find it on the Apple Store and Google Play. Just download the respective [VizitAR] application on your mobile phone. Within the app, you can see the locations where the series was filmed. It’s also possible to create a Google Maps itinerary for those with mobile GPS access,” explained Alexandre Gaudêncio.
The app contains excerpts from locations in Rabo de Peixe where the series was shot.
“It was a successful initiative, and we are eagerly anticipating the second and third seasons, set to premiere in fifteen days, which we believe will further boost the positive impact of this first season,” he concluded.
“Rabo de Peixe” stands as the second Portuguese fiction series produced for Netflix and was directed by Augusto Fraga and Patrícia Sequeira.
The series originates from a real event in 2001 when a yacht carrying half a ton of cocaine wrecked, and a significant portion of the drug washed ashore near Rabo de Peixe on São Miguel Island.
Based on these events, the fictional narrative unfolds around four friends who, after acquiring several kilograms of the drug, aspire to change their lives, amidst a police investigation concerning the shipwreck.
The four friends are portrayed by José Condessa, Helena Caldeira, Rodrigo Tomás, and André Leitão, alongside other actors including Albano Jerónimo, Maria João Bastos, Afonso Pimentel, Pêpê Rapazote, and Adriano Carvalho.
“Rabo de Peixe” was one of ten projects that emerged victorious in a screenplay competition organized by Netflix with the support of the Instituto do Cinema e do Audiovisual.
