The 2025 set-jetting hotlist: 8 locations where film tourism may be about to boom
Traveling to famous filming locations is no longer a niche trend. Twenty years ago, “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy drew tourists to New Zealand. Today, fans of “White Lotus” are flocking to the paradisiacal settings featured in the hit U.S. series. DataPulse Research reveals which destinations are poised to become must-visits for set-jetters in 2025.
Lately, there’s been a lot of buzz about Koh Samui preparing for a tourism boom. Hotel operators and restaurateurs are hopeful that more affluent travelers will discover the island paradise—arriving with deep pockets and dreams of luxury resorts. Fueling this optimism is the so-called “White Lotus” effect. The cult HBO series has reportedly inspired TV lovers in recent years to spend their holidays at iconic filming locations. This phenomenon, known as set-jetting, is far from new—but it's gaining momentum.
“Screen tourism, or set-jetting, can be traced back to the late 1980s. It has grown significantly over the past few decades,” explains Pedro Barbadillo. He works as a film consultant in Mallorca, Spain, and was until recently the island’s film commissioner. He advises film crews on how to ensure a film’s authenticity and credibility, among other things.
Cult HBO hit “The White Lotus” is widely credited with inspiring TV lovers to plan their next getaway around an on-screen destination (this season it’s Thailand). And while we can definitely understand the allure of swapping the freezing East Coast for the tropics, this is one trend that’s been around a lot longer than you might think.
Middle Earth (aka New Zealand) was the first set-jetting hot spot
When “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” trilogies launched in 2012, New Zealand was inundated with tourists keen to catch a glimpse of Middle Earth. As the chart below shows, the year-on-year growth rate in the number of tourists visiting New Zealand rose sharply from near zero in 2012 to more than 11% in 2016.
A study by researchers at Leeds Beckett University estimated that “The Hobbit” trilogy generated an impressive$771.80 million in tourism revenue for New Zealand, benefiting local businesses, tourism operators, and related industries alike. The study also found an overall economic gain of $186.24 million, boosting household incomes, business profits, and tax revenues.
Not every film inspires wanderlust
Unsurprisingly, not every film or TV destination becomes a major tourist attraction. In the case of the “Mad Max” films for example, the subsequent increase in Australian tourist numbers was short-lived. The same is true of Kazakhstan. It welcomed a few more tourists than normal after the release of “Borat,” but those figures soon dropped back to normal levels.
For a filming location to become a tourist destination, certain conditions need to be met according to Pedro Barbadillo : “The location must appear in an iconic film or series that becomes a cultural phenomenon for a specific social group—like millennials or Gen Z.” Additionally, the place must be accessible to mass tourism, Barbadillo adds. Some places strengthen the effect by referencing the film in their marketing or offering themed experiences that draw fans from around the world.
‘White Lotus’: Two hits and a miss
If you haven’t yet succumbed to the hype surrounding “White Lotus,” here are the cliff notes: Each six-episode season is set in a different location (Season 1 Hawai’i, Season 2 Sicily, Season 3 Thailand) and follows the lives of staff and uber-rich guests at a luxurious resort. It’s darkly humorous and quirky. But is the awareness generated for each destination really enough to send tourism numbers soaring? A quick look at the first three seasons shows two hits and a miss.
Season 1: Hawaii
Looking back, Season 1 triggered a small tourism boom in Hawaii in 2021, specifically at the Four Seasons Resort in South Maui’s Wailea, one of the show’s key filming locations. Compared to the previous year, website visits increased by 425%, and availability inquiries rose by 386%, according to a Four Seasons manager in an interview with ABC. Travel site Expedia also told ABC that search interest for both Hawaii and Sicily, where Season 2 was filmed, jumped by 300%.
Our charts tell a slightly different story. As you can see below, searches for “flights to Hawaii” and “Wailea” did spike around the July 11, 2021, release date, but they quickly slumped. What’s more, related search terms focused on phrases like “Hawaii COVID restrictions” and “Hawaii COVID travel” rather than “Hawaii White Lotus”. Unsurprisingly so—after all, the world was still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. If the number of searches for “flights to Hawaii” or “Wailea” is any indication of “White Lotus” fans’ penchant for set-jetting, Thailand doesn’t have much to get excited about.
Interestingly, the number of daily Wikipedia page views for Wailea rose by 279% during the first season and remained at that level until the final episode aired.
Season 2: Sicily
Searches for “flights to Sicily” and “San Domenico” (part of the name of the hotel that hosted Season 2) tell a very clear story. Within three months of Season 2 dropping, searches for “flights to Sicily” grew 144% among U.S. Googlers. Even more dramatically, searches for “San Domenico” rose more than 800% in the month or so after the season premiere.
Search users also used phrases related to “White Lotus” in their Sicily search terms, telling us they were researching a possible Italian getaway because they’d been influenced by the TV series. For an example of this effect, look at the main search term “flights to Sicily,” with the fifth fastest growing related team being “San Domenico Palace.”
According to a hotel manager quoted by The Guardian, the San Domenico Palace was fully booked for six months following the season’s release.
Similarly, the number of daily English-language Wikipedia page views for Sicily and Taormina saw a significant increase following the release of the second season.
Season 3: Thailand
Judging by the data so far, “White Lotus” viewers have been captivated by Thailand and driven to act on their wanderlust.
Following the season premiere in mid-February of this year, travel to Thailand was mentioned 60% more frequently on social media than before, according to social media analysts at Sprout Social. According to travel platform Trip.com, bookings for flights and hotels in Koh Samui have increased by nearly 30% compared to the same period last year.
While similar ups and downs can also be seen in the previous six months, searches for “Koh Samui” (the specific Thai island where Season 3 is set) increased 170% after the season dropped.
Wikipedia page views also reflect the surge of interest in Koh Samui: within 24 hours of the second episode airing, they temporarily spiked by an astonishing 2,976%.
Travellers are seeking out destination-related information in larger numbers
It isn’t just flight searches that are spiking. Would-be visitors are also showing an interest in learning more about each season’s destination. While interest in flights to Hawaii remained flat, the number of daily Wikipedia page views for Wailea grew 279% just before the launch of Season 1 and remained elevated through to the final episode airing. Likewise, the number of daily page views for Sicily and Taormina also increased sharply when Season 2 aired, by 150% and 122%, respectively.
An analysis of Thailand’s Wiki page views does not reveal any obvious reaction to the season premiere, but daily page views for Koh Samui jumped 2,976% in the 24 hours after Episode 2 dropped.
A growing number of Americans are seeking a slice of la dolce vita
American viewers did more than research travel options in 2022 and 2023. As seen below, the number of Americans visiting Sicily in 2022 grew by more than 300% and continued to grow faster than the overall number of tourists in 2023. Could this be down to “White Lotus”? Anecdotal evidence suggests so.
The Four Seasons Domenico Palace reports that it was fully booked for six months after the release of Season 2. The obvious conclusion here is that fans couldn’t wait to experience the “White Lotus” resort in real life. It’s also worth noting that the town of Taormino also welcomed way more foreign visitors than usual in the aftermath of Season 2, with the number of hotel check-ins doubling between 2021 and 2022. Showing that the Italian tourist board may well have managed to sustain its TV tourism stream, check-ins have remained elevated and grew by more than 50% in 2023.
This could also be due to things like new “White Lotus” fans going back and re-watching previous seasons (thereby unleashing a desire to visit Sicily) or original fans finally having the time or money to book their dream trip.
Predictions: 2025’s Top Set-Jetting Destinations
Which upcoming releases could spark the next big travel wave? DataPulse analyzed streaming data, box office expectations, Google search trends, and fan buzz to identify eight destinations with the potential to become global set-jetting hotspots in 2025. From blockbuster sequels to cult TV follow-ups, these locations offer the perfect mix of cinematic appeal and wanderlust potential.
1. ‘Squid Game’: South Korea
“Squid Game” Season 2 was only released in December but is already the third most watched Netflix season ever, meaning it could well have the reach to make South Korea the top set-jetting destination of 2025.
While the show is set on a fictional island, it does heavily feature iconic architecture from the Daejeon Expo Science Park and Incheon International Airport, helping to bridge the gap between TV and the real world. We can also see evidence of this in the Google search data. “Squid Game” is the ninth fastest-growing Google topic related to South Korea while the search term “Squid Game” is one of South Korea’s top 25 most closely related Google topics.
Such a strong association between the series and its origin country demonstrates the show’s remarkable influence over the image of South Korea in the eyes of the world.
2. ‘The Last of Us’: British Columbia, Canada
Set in a fictional United States of the future but shot in the Canada of today, “The Last of Us” Season 2 set a trailer viewership record for HBO with 158 million global views in only three days. Season 1 cumulatively accrued some 32 million views in the U.S. and the second season, released on April 13, was poised to capture just as many viewers with the same rugged, self-reliant aesthetic. The city where the season is filmed, Mission, British Columbia, has room to grow as a tourist destination—so could it soon welcome an influx of visitors? A recent survey found that attendance at events held in Mission is almost entirely composed of locals, suggesting it’s a hidden gem on the tourist trail and ripe for discovery.
3. ‘Wednesday’: Romania
“Wednesday” Season 1 is another top-three Netflix hit. Shot in Romania, the first season of “Wednesday” has been viewed 250 million times and resulted in an uptick of foreign visitors.
The second season is set to premiere later this year and features a high-profile cast—most notably, Lady Gaga. Filming took place at various locations across Ireland. Even then—Prime Minister Simon Harris made an appearance on set—after all, it’s the largest TV production ever filmed in Ireland.
4. ‘Jurassic World’: Thailand
Thailand’s population of 66 million welcomed 35 million tourists to the country in 2024. Even if “White Lotus” doesn’t flood Thailand with tourists, “Jurassic World: Rebirth” just might. Despite being set on a fictional tropical island, the latest release from the “Jurassic” franchise prominently features breathtaking scenery from sites in Krabi, Thailand, like Ao Phang Nga National Park, Khao Phanom Bencha National Park, and Ko Kradan.
Timed for release in the summer blockbuster season, “Jurassic World: Rebirth” is likely to sell between 30 million and 60 million theater tickets in the U.S. based on prior “Jurassic World” releases. While parks like Ao Phang Nga National Park already max out their 1,600 daily visit limit, the film’s vistas may still push an influx of tourists toward lesser known sites.
5. ‘Mission Impossible’: Norway
“Mission Impossible—The Final Reckoning” will be the final chapter of the “Mission Impossible” franchise. And where better to complete the franchise than at the end of the Earth: Norway’s Arctic region? The film will also feature more southerly, easily-accessible regions of Norway, like the fjords of Aurland. Aurland is already one of the top holiday destinations for Norwegians and is accessible by cruise, car, or train, making it a convenient option for foreign visitors, too.
6. ‘Wicked’: Britain and Egypt
Visitors to Britain’s official tourism site will already find an entire page dedicated to advertising the pastoral settings of last year’s hit “Wicked.” Since its release in fall 2024, some 40 million Americans have seen the film in theaters. This fall, “Wicked: For Good” will bring Oz to life using many of the same English countryside vistas from the first film, along with landscapes from Egypt’s White Desert National Park.
Starring Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jeff Goldblum, and Michelle Yeoh, seeing the whimsical appeal of rural Britain and mysteries of Egypt brought to life on the big screen could well trigger a desire to take a nomadic journey through the desert or frolic in the English countryside this year or next.
7. ‘Paddington in Perú’: Perú
The fall 2024 release from the Paddington franchise earned more than $43.5 million at the American box office. While the film relies heavily on computer-generated imagery for its main character, it also features real Peruvian sites and traditional Peruvian woven art. Like the British tourism ministry, the Peruvian tourism commission has carefully sought to link the film to its setting by offering background on the scenes of the film via the web.
8. ‘Frankenstein’: Scotland
Scotland is no stranger to set-jetting. Since the release of “Braveheart,” the small Scottish town of Stirling, home to the National Wallace Monument, has seen more than $33 million in tourism revenue. Now, as renowned director Guillermo del Toro prepares to release his adaptation of “Frankenstein,” a new wave of viewers may be motivated by the ephemeral beauty of craggy mountains and deep blue lochs to make the journey.
The Future of Travel Is On Screen
Set jetting is a novel way to use up vacation days, but it can make for a truly memorable trip by taking film and TV fans off the beaten path. It could spark a desire to visit somewhere that previously wasn’t on the radar—like a desert in Egypt or the Arctic expanse of Norway—taking viewers on a true journey of discovery.
For destinations that manage to score a starring role on the big screen, there’s a clear opportunity to capitalize. However, a prolonged boost in tourist numbers isn’t a given, as destinations like Australia have found. The places successful in making their destinations a long-term success fully embrace their links with the TV show or movie that put them in the spotlight. As streaming platforms continue to invest in global content, don’t be surprised if your next trip is inspired by the next “White Lotus.” Wherever the screen leads, set-jetters follow.
This story was produced by DataPulse Research and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
