The White Lotus Effect is in full swing. Following the highly anticipated third season of HBO’s hit series, The White Lotus, Thailand’s Koh Samui has seen a 30% increase in flight searches, while hotels featured in past seasons—like Sicily’s San Domenico Palace and the Four Seasons in Maui—booked out months in advance.
This isn’t just a passing trend. Set-jetting—the phenomenon of traveling to real-world filming locations—has become a major economic force, transforming film tourism from a niche curiosity into a multi-billion-dollar industry. With 88% of travelers saying they want to visit locations from their favorite films and TV shows, governments and film commissions now have a compelling reason to factor tourism revenue into the equation when developing or expanding tax incentives for production.
Film tax credits have long been justified by local job creation and economic stimulus, but the rise of set-jetting presents another compelling argument: productions don’t just bring short-term industry spending; they create long-term tourism economies that can last for decades. From major government-backed tourism campaigns in the UK to emerging markets in Asia, the race is on to capitalize on this booming phenomenon.
From Scenes to Revenue Streams
Set-jetting isn’t new. Travelers have been flocking to Salzburg, Austria, since The Sound of Music hit theaters in 1965, and New Zealand has turned The Lord of the Rings into a national tourism strategy. But today’s set-jetting boom is being fueled by social media—especially Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube—creating instant demand for locations featured in buzzy new releases.
In China, Detective Chinatown 1900 transformed Laoling Film Studio from an unknown production site into a tourist magnet, pulling in over $12 million in revenue in a single week. In the UK, VisitBritain has launched a global campaign promoting Bridgerton, House of the Dragon, and Succession locations, capitalizing on the fact that Castle Howard, which appeared in Bridgerton, saw its website traffic skyrocket by 3,800%.
Meanwhile, The White Lotus has sparked a new kind of high-end film tourism, with fans willing to spend thousands of dollars to stay in the exact hotels they’ve seen on screen. Research shows that Millennials and Gen Z, who prioritize experiences over material goods, are leading the charge, with some set-jetters reportedly spending up to $17,000 on travel inspired by a single show.
The White Lotus season 3 filmed at The Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, Thailand
How Social Media Supercharged the Set-Jetting Boom
While set-jetting has existed for decades, social media has turned it into a cultural phenomenon. Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube have created instant demand for locations featured in the latest hit TV shows and films. When The White Lotus aired, TikTok was flooded with posts from fans showcasing their stays at the show’s iconic hotels, inspiring others to book the same experience.
This real-time, user-generated content has changed how travel decisions are made. Instead of relying on traditional travel guides, younger audiences are discovering destinations through viral videos. Set-jetting is no longer just about visiting famous locations—it’s about documenting and sharing the experience, which in turn creates a continuous cycle of interest and demand.
Governments and film commissions that harness the power of social media marketing—by partnering with influencers, travel bloggers, and film tourism campaigns—will maximize the tourism impact of productions in their region.
Fans gather outside the iconic West Village brownstone that served as Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment in Sex and the City, snapping photos of the famed stoop that became a symbol of New York’s fashion-forward, cosmopolitan lifestyle.
