Once a niche pursuit of film superfans, set jetting has firmly entered the travel mainstream. Travellers are no longer content to simply watch their favourite films and series, they want to step inside the scenes themselves.

Bookings for hotels, cities and landscapes made famous on screen are soaring. Expedia Group was first to notice the trend when searches for Hawaii and Sicily shot up more than 300%. Both islands had featured in the first two seasons of The White Lotus.

 

 

The trend was christened “set jetting” and it’s since showed no sign of waning. In 2025, Expedia’s research found 53% of visitors were influenced by TV shows and movies when choosing destinations. Among Gen Z and Millennials, the motivation was even more pronounced: 81% now plan getaways based on TV shows and films.

Even imaginary destinations like Schitt’s Creek in Canada have been getting visitors. Expedia claims TV shows are now more of an influence on travellers than Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Visit Wales has jumped on the zeitgeist, partnering with VisitBritain in an international campaign showcasing “epic” North Wales locations used to film HBO’s House of the Dragon series. Several were on Anglesey, more were in Gwynedd, with Dinorwig Quarry featuring prominently in seasons two and three.

Eryri (Snowdonia) has always been a big draw for filmakers. Over the years the James Bond franchise has made good use of national park, filming the classic From Russia with Love, as well as The World is Not Enough and Quantum of Solace. Join the North Wales Live Whatsapp community now

Stunning landscapes around Beddgelert and Nantmor stood in for war-torn China in the 1958 classic The Inn of the Sixth Happiness. Even today, fans of Carry On Up The Khyber can still be seen donning their pith helmets on Yr Wyddfa’s Watkin Path.

Hotels have been quick to capitalise. Plas Weunydd near Blaenau Ffestiniog said Gwynedd’s landscapes have not only become a magnet for epic fiction, they are film-worthy even for those who have little interest in TV and movies.

A spokesperson said: “You can channel your inner Geralt and trek across the rugged terrain to spot Dolbadarn Castle or the glassy waters of Llyn Padarn, both used in The Witcher Season 4.

“The region has also starred in House of the Dragon, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life, and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword.

“Off screen, the drama continues as this is a place to live out your own action-adventure narrative – whether hiking, wild swimming, climbing, trail running or zip-lining through scenery worthy of the big screen.”

VisitBritain’s research suggest more than nine out of 10 potential visitors to the UK are eager to include TV and film locations in their itineraries. In terms of staycations the trend is less pronounced. Even so, nearly 20% of UK-based holidaymakers have expressed an interest in visiting Welsh destinations that have featured in movies, TV or literature.

Last year, Visit Wales was braced for a surge of visitors in the wake of Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, which featured Pontcysyllte’s awe-inspiring aqueduct.

The upcoming Sky crime drama Under Salt Marsh, starring Jonathan Pryce and Kelly Reilly and due for release on January 30, is further expected to draw fans to North Wales.

Featuring prominently in this series are Fairbourne and Barmouth in Gwynedd, and Aberffraw, Anglesey. Others include the island’s Newborough Forest, Malltraeth and Menai Bridge.

Nowhere has the set jetting influence been more keenly felt in Wales that at Barry Island in the Vale of Glamorgan. Over 17 years, the BBC’s Gavin and Stacey has drawn tens of thousands of fans to the area in their Nessa wigs and Bryn cardigans.

Many sign up for the infamous Dave Coaches’ tour or sip a coffee in Marco’s Café, where guests can pose for photos next to posters of the Gavin and Stacey cast