'Black Panther' fans are trying to book hotels in Wakanda
Internet searches for hotels in the fictional African country of Wakanda have skyrocketed since 'Black Panther' hit the big screen
Hotel-booking sites are reporting a strange phenomenon since the release of Marvel Studios' new superhero film, Black Panther. Searches are up for hotels in "Wakanda" - the fictional African country where the movie's action takes place.
The UK's Daily Mail quotes two booking websites - hotelscan.com and hotels.com - as saying they've seen a dramatic rise in searches for the imaginary destination.
That's great news at least for a water park in Wisconsin, US. Called Wakanda, it has enjoyed a whopping 620% surge in clicks on its page compared to last year.
WATCH | The trailer for Black Panther
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Real-world places whose names sound similar are enjoying a similar boost.
Hits on the towns of Wauconda and Makonda, both in Illinois, US, are up 25% and 40% respectively from last year.
Further afield, Wakaya, in Fiji, is up over 235% and Wakkanai in Japan is enjoying a more than 55% rise.
Isabelle Pinson of hotels.com is quoted as saying: "Our hotel portfolio spans more than 200 counties and territories around the world but not yet Wakanda. We're looking into it."