Movie Tourism: How The Film Industry Impacts Travel

From the serpentine Gotthard Pass in the Swiss Alps, which starred in Goldfinger, to the stunning landscapes featured in White Lotus, including Hawaiian golden hours and Sicilian coastlines hugging cliffsides, some movies and TV series inherently spark wanderlust. Movie tourism, also known as set jetting, goes beyond simply visiting a famous film location or tacking on a cinematic tour to an itinerary. It’s about the way films and shows inspire viewers to pack their bags and explore movie destinations in real life.

Travel companies have taken notice of a sharp increase in movie tourism travel in recent years: In 2022, Expedia pinpointed movie tourism as a mounting travel trend, and, the travel site’s 2025 trend report found that a whopping two thirds of travelers say movies and TV shows have influenced their trips.

Film tourism is one of the most effective tools to promote a destination, Marta Soligo, the Director of Tourism Research & Professor of Tourism and Sociology of Leisure at University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), told Forbes.

“Unlike a billboard advertising a vacation spot, which is limited to a specific geographic location and would be displayed for a limited amount of time, movies and TV shows offer a vastly broader reach, since they can be available worldwide and last through time.”

Here’s what else to know about movie tourism and how it’s influencing the way we travel.

When Did Movie Tourism Become Popular?

Movie tourism has received a lot of buzz in recent years, something that tourism experts are referring to as the “White Lotus” effect. Wanderlust grew when people were at home during the pandemic streaming shows set in idyllic locations, including HBO’s first season of White Lotus set on the shores of Hawaii and filmed at The Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea.

“Set jetting, as it’s called, has become a huge driver for tourism,” says Debra Loew from Kensington Tours, a luxury travel company that specializes in personalized, private tours. “White Lotus is a great example of this by showcasing the destinations where it films as an essential aspect to the storyline and overall series. Interest in Sicily surged after season 2 and we are already seeing interest in Thailand before the new season even debuts.”

But movie tourism isn’t something that’s brand new to this decade. In fact, this type of travel surged after World War II as the movie and TV industries became increasingly popular, and people progressively began to travel to see their favorite movie locations, Soligo says.

Dude ranches have also long benefited from Western movies, long before the breakout success of shows like Yellowstone.

“From a dude rancher’s perspective, the explosion of Westerns on both the big screen and TV put a focus on tourism in the West—along with cowboys, horses, and ranches,” says Russell True, managing partner of True Ranch Collection and owner of White Stallion Ranch in Tucson, Arizona, which was the location for the television series High Chaparral (1968-72). “Travelers wanted to experience the wilderness, Western culture, and meet real cowboys.”

True recalls a time in the early 1990s when his mother called him over to her desk to ask if he knew anything about a movie called City Slickers. She was getting calls from people who wanted an experience like the one shown in the Billy Crystal Western comedy, which True points out, actually was about a cattle drive.

“That movie single-handedly brought dude ranching back to the forefront of Western vacations,” he says. “The great thing was, we didn’t have to do a thing but answer our phones.”

How Much Can A Popular TV Show Or Movie Affect Tourism To An Area?

Beyond Hollywood, several destinations have made strategic investments in attracting film crews.

A prime example is Georgia, which has emerged as a top destination for film and TV productions, with filming locations ranging from the Blue Ridge Mountains and Savannah’s historic squares to Atlanta’s big-city backdrop.

Some major titles filmed in the Peach State include Forrest Gump, The Hunger Games, and Stranger Things, and each have drawn travelers to visit filming locations, giving a tourism boost to the local communities.

“The impact of film tourism extends long after the cameras stop rolling,” Jay Markwalter, Statewide Tourism Director for the Georgia Department of Economic Development and Explore Georgia tells Forbes.

Across Georgia, destinations are harnessing the long-term economic benefits of set-jetting by offering unique experiences for visitors to walk in the footsteps of their favorite stars and explore iconic landmarks they’ve seen on screen, he says.

One example of jet setting success: Downtown Senoia, Georgia—which was the primary filming location for the zombie apocalypse show The Walking Dead—grew from six storefronts in 2011 to 150 as of 2023 as a result the AMC show’s success.

Another anecdote: When Crazy Rich Asians came out in 2018, tourism officials saw that organic search interest in Singapore increased more than three times in the U.S., according to Google search data during the movie’s release.

Being fictional, the movie doesn’t reflect the whole of Singapore nor the lives of Singaporeans in general, says Ellen Lee, Senior Vice President for the Singapore Tourism Board, Americas.

“But the engaging story featuring renowned Singapore backdrops like Marina Bay Sands, Newton Hawker Center, Gardens by the Bay and Chijmes—featured that iconic wedding scene—piqued the interest of viewers, especially in the North American markets,” she says. “It showcases the city-state in a way that celebrates Singapore’s culture, food and attractions.”

The exposure from the movie continues to attract visitors to Singapore today.

While there’s not a specific formula for what makes a silver screen featured city a tourist boom town, destinations looking to leverage interest from TV shows and movies should enhance the dialogue with movie productions and consider targeted branding operations, Soligo says.

In Las Vegas, MGM Grand Hotel & Casino and Netflix are planning to open Netflix Bites in early 2025, a one-year culinary residency that serves items inspired by popular series, like Stranger Things and Bridgerton.

Destinations have also found success tapping into nostalgia.

Adermatt, Switzerland, for instance, marked the 60th anniversary of Goldfinger, by embracing its James Bond connection with themed packages at The Chedi Andermatt, like private car tours along the Gotthard Pass, the famed road where Bond’s iconic chase scene took place and driving experiences with high-end sports cars reminiscent of those seen in the movie.

How Does Movie Tourism Affect Local Cultures?

Film tourism can have both positive and negative effects on local cultures and environments.

On the upside, it can create revenue for destinations even after filming has wrapped. For instance, ToursbyLocals runs a popular Game of Thrones tour in Dubrovnik that’s led by guides who often worked as extras on the show, adding a unique layer of insider insight to the experience and providing smaller group tour alternatives to the larger ones that clog up small walkways in the walled city.

“When fans visit places like Dubrovnik for Game of Thrones or the Scottish Highlands for Outlander, they’re not just exploring iconic filming locations—they’re engaging with locals who share personal stories, historical insights, and cultural context,” says Sara Cooke, director of communications with ToursByLocals.

Unfortunately, the past few years have witnessed negative trends in terms of overtourism, Soligo says.

In Thailand, for example, officials closed down Maya Bay for three years beginning in 2018 so that the ecosystem could recover. The Beach, a 2000 movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio made the location famous, and the constant stream of tourists damaged the beach area and the coral reefs.

When it comes to destinations undertaking tourism planning activities, it’s important to take into consideration that excessive tourism and the prioritization of tourism infrastructure can disrupt the cultural fabric.

What Are Some Examples of Movie Tourism?

One of the oldest examples of movie tourism that Soligo points to is Roman Holiday, which was released in 1953 and still attracts tourists to its iconic locations in Rome. Other more recent notable examples are The Lord of the Rings in New Zealand and Harry Potter in the UK.

Expedia’s newest data shows a 30% year-over-year increase in Dubai after The Real Housewives of Dubai aired.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom remains a popular set jetting destination thanks to the hundreds of Bridgerton, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and Outlander-themed tours that have sprouted up. And Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2 drummed up interest in Malta.

Want to try movie tourism for yourself? Here’s more must-visit movie tourism destinations around the world.

This post was originally published on here