A good well publicised movie can really have an impact on the location's tourist industry - and the news that Penelope Cruz had arrived in Lanzarote to film for two weeks was greeted enthusiastically by the Lanzarote holidays industry.

And their enthusiasm is well placed, as they have seen another European holiday island - Malta - benefit from having its locations featured on the big screen, and the Greek island of Kefalonia was made famous by the 2001 film 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin' - and Penelope Cruz was the leading actress in that film, with Nicholas Cage co-starring.

Troy, 2004's blockbuster hit starring Brad Pitt and Orlando Bloom, introduced the world to Malta. Most of Troy was filmed at Fort Ricasoli. The massive fort was built by the Knights of Malta sometime between 1670 and 1693. Many people around the world would have never had the opportunity to see Fort Ricasoli if producers had decided to use props in a studio.

A Different Loyalty, starring Sharon Stone was shot in Fort St. Elmo in Valletta, Malta in 2004. Fort Saint Elmo divides Marsamxett Harbor and Grand Harbor and provides a grand entrance to both harbors. The fort doubled for the city of Beirut in the movie. The Golden Sands Beach was also chosen as a setting for parts of the movie.

Alexander, starring Colin Farrell, Anthony Hopkins and Angelina Jolie and directed by Oliver Stone included shots from Valletta's Grand Harbor. Grand Harbor is a natural harbor that has been used at least since the Roman times. The harbor doubled as part of the ancient port city of Alexandria in the movie.

The 1995 pirate movie, Cutthroat Island, with Geena Davis and Matthew Modine was filmed primarily in Vittoriosa. The Maritime Museum is seen multiple times in the film. Mdina, Fort St. Elmo and the Dingli Cliffs were also settings for scenes in the movie. Water tanks were provided by The Mediterranean Film Studio for use in the sea scenes.

A nighttime scene from Gladiator with Russell Crowe was filmed at Couvre Port just outside Vittoriosa. The remainder of the film was primarily shot at a replica of the Roman Coliseum. The replica was built at Fort Ricasoli on Malta.

And Lanzarote could perhaps replicated Malta's success as it is similar in some ways, but has a different landscape.

Lanzarote, at 37 miles long and 12 miles wide, has much to offer visitors of all ages. Due to the location of the island and volcanic eruptions as recent as the 19th century, people often describe parts of the island as lunar. Some say it gives them the feeling of being in another world - ideal for some films!

Families with small children on Lanzarote holidays find this an exciting way to teach their children about the planets and how each area of a planet can differ from others.

The wonderful climate throughout the year is conducive to a variety of sports activities. Take your pick of golf, diving, horseback riding, tennis and windsurfing. And the weather could, like the landscape, help sway decision makers that Lanzarote could be an ideal island for making movies.