And… action! The 2025 Set-Jetting Forecast
Coming soon to a vacation near you: The year’s hottest film and TV locations to see for yourself. From The White Lotus’ Thailand to Wednesday’s Ireland, they’re sure to be smash hits
There’s no doubt about it: Set-Jetting is now one of the biggest global travel trends—and it’s only getting bigger. In 2022, Expedia Group spotted that searches spiked for destinations featured in streaming shows—and named the trend “Set-Jetting.”
Fast-forward to today, and our Unpack ’25 trends report reveals that 66% of travelers say their trips have been influenced by place they’ve seen in movies or TV shows. So where’s next for the year ahead? Here, we present the premier locations to get your Set-Jetting fix.
The White Lotus takes three in Thailand
Koh Samui, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket
The first two seasons of this darkly comic murder mystery about the super-rich on vacation had a huge impact on tourism in both Hawaii and Sicily, and the third is set to do the same in Thailand. Though no resorts have been officially confirmed as locations, filming is widely believed to be taking place at more Four Seasons properties: in Koh Samui (a big clue being that there was a two-month block showing no availability for bookings), Bangkok, and Chiang Mai. Producers are also said to have headed for Phuket, where they plumped for another luxe hotel, the Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas—the perfect place to emulate the vacations of the filthy rich for yourself (minus the murders, of course).
South Korea gets the green light in Squid Game
Jeju, South Korea
Lockdown favorite Squid Game—about a deadly reality show—prompted a surge in travel to South Korea. And while the cast filmed in Seoul and on Seongapdo (a nearly uninhabited west coast island with no electricity), the main attraction is Jeju. Despite it only being given a passing mention in the series, the island has piqued the interest of travelers, and it’s easy to see why. As well as forests, waterfalls, white-sand beaches and the country’s highest peak, the island is also home to the haenyeo, a clan of octogenarian female divers who gather shellfish from 65 feet under the sea—without the aid of oxygen tanks. It’s all enough to make us need a sit-down and a cocktail at the nearby Parnas Hotel Jeju.
Hit Maria’s high notes in Budapest
Budapest, Hungary
Angelina Jolie’s biopic of Maria Callas, the renowned opera singer, was filmed in that hotspot of movie production, Budapest. It was her second time as a temporary resident of the Hungarian capital, having decamped there for her directorial debut In the Land of Blood and Honey in 2010. The city’s ornate State Opera House was an important location for the shoot—and Angelina was so enchanted that she went there to see Verdi’s Requiem, which will also be performed this November. Stroll the city’s other great sights, including one of Europe’s most impressive parliament buildings on the banks of the Danube, and Castle Hill, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; stay at the Four Seasons Gresham Palace, just across the water.
Budapest: A set-jetting star is born
Upcoming blockbusters
Plenty of A-listers have been sprinkling stardust around the streets of Budapest—thanks to its historic landmarks like Buda Castle and Fisherman’s Bastion (pictured), the city has become a trending destination for international movie production in Europe. Upcoming productions shot in the Hungarian capital include a biopic of painter Modigliani starring Al Pacino, an Apple TV+ action-adventure movie starring Ryan Reynolds, and a new TV take on the life story of Mozart, with Will Sharpe (The White Lotus).
Breakout roles
Budapest is a location scout’s dream, and no wonder: The city boasts a huge variety of architectural styles, from art deco to baroque to contemporary. Over the years, it has appeared as a stand-in for other destinations—the futuristic Bálna building even served as the NASA headquarters in 2015’s The Martian. One of the first big Hollywood productions filmed in Budapest was 1996’s Evita, where it doubled up as 1950s Buenos Aires: 23 locations were used, including Széchenyi Thermal Bath (pictured). It has also posed as the French capital in Cyrano de Bergerac and Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, and as Germany in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.
Off-camera glamour
When Hollywood comes to Hungary, where do the stars get their beauty sleep? A firm favorite is the Four Seasons Gresham Palace at the foot of the Danube’s famous Chain Bridge (pictured)—with the hotel even starring in the 2015 action comedy, Spy. And speaking of espionage, the city is also a favorite among undercover agents: Budapest Keleti railway station stars in the opening sequence of 2011’s Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol; the Fisherman’s Bastion appears in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy; while scenes from 2001’s Spy Game were shot in buzzy Gozsdu Udvar restaurant court.
Cape Town is the real treasure of One Piece
Cape Town, South Africa
Interest in Cape Town, the primary location for One Piece, Netflix’s swashbuckling fantasy adventure series, ramped up by 15% after the first season launched last year. With the next outing currently filming and slated for a 2025 release, we’ll all be longing for a jaunt to South Africa’s coastal city—home to the colorful and characterful Bo-Kaap neighborhood, a cultural melting pot which features in the show. Stay at The Table Bay hotel, take a boat trip to Robben Island, climb Table Mountain, and visit the Bo-Kaap Museum to learn the history of the city.
Set-Jetting tours to book now
Suits and more in Toronto, Canada
Along with Vancouver, Toronto has justly earned the “Hollywood North” nickname. Take an immersive walking tour to see the filming spots used in blockbuster movies and series including The Handmaid’s Tale, Suits, American Psycho and Suicide Squad.
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Game of Thrones in Dubrovnik, Croatia
A walking tour through the city’s old town, the Fort of St. Lawrence and over to Lokrum Island, where you can take a seat on the iconic Iron Throne—a gift to Dubrovnik from HBO after filming, it takes pride of place in a former Benedictine monastery, now the GoT visitor center.
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The Lord of the Rings in Queenstown, New Zealand
A 4WD tour of filming spots from Peter Jackson’s trilogy, including Lothlorien, the Ithilien Camp and Isengard—with locations from Wolverine, X-Men Origins and The Chronicles of Narnia thrown in for good measure.
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Star Wars in Tozeur, Tunisia
Traverse the desert landscape of the planet Tatooine by ATV, including the Mos Espa marketplace and the Lars Homestead, across the Saharan dunes of southwest Tunisia.
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Pirates of the Caribbean and more in Kauaʻi, Hawaii
A minibus tour of movie locations across the Hawaiian island, including Kapaʻa Town, used in Jurassic Park, and Ahukini Landing, ʻŌpaekaʻa Falls Lookout and Hanamaulu Bay, featured in Donovan’s Reef, plus locations in Pirates of the Caribbean and Blue Hawaii.
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Feel the F1 fever in Vegas
Las Vegas, NV
Set for a June 2025 release (with “smash hit” written all over it), starry Apple TV+ film F1 is being shot not just on real Grand Prix circuits, but during the real Grand Prix—everywhere from the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi to the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, where Sin City’s inaugural GP took place last fall. Stars were photographed in the pit lane ahead of the race, which takes in many iconic Vegas spots along the route, including Caesars Palace, Paris Las Vegas, and The Venetian. Make your own pit stop at the Bellagio during the next race on November 23—or any time, because no one really needs a reason to visit Vegas.
Live like The Real Housewives of Dubai
Dubai, U.A.E.
It seems we’re all after a dose of Middle Eastern bling: Interest in the Emirates increased by 35% after the launch of Dubai‘s take on perhaps the guiltiest of all TV pleasures. So where should you go to make like a real housewife? Those infamous uber-luxe hotels, of course, including Raffles the Palm, scene of the series’ palatial season-one wedding. The women are also regulars at Nammos and Scalini, restaurants at the Four Seasons Jumeirah Beach. Stay in an apartment with a stunning vista at the Avani+ Palm View, and head for spa treatments at the swanky, Housewife-run Glass House.
And Just Like That… we’re off to NYC
New York, NY
The super-stylish stars of Sex and the City and its spin-off have long been increasing the tourist trade of Manhattan, and there’s no sign of that abating—there was a 15% increase in searches on Expedia for NYC vacations following the release of the first season of And Just Like That… While we can’t guarantee a sighting, seeing the cast filming around the city is commonplace, and new-season scenes have been shot in Washington Square Park, the Lincoln Center and Times Square. Stay at The Ned NoMad and venture to the characters’ homes—that iconic West Village brownstone at 66 Perry Street (remember: it’s actually someone’s home), or 930 Park Avenue—or hop on a Sex and the City hotspots bus tour.
Stay faithful in The Traitors’ Scotland
Ardross, Scotland
International hit The Traitors, which pits cunning competitors against each other in a game of trust and betrayal, has proved quite the tourism boost for the Scottish Highlands—Expedia found a 190% ramp-up in interest following season two, compared to searches for the region on the same dates two years previously. Both the U.S. and U.K. versions are shot at the 19th-century Ardross Castle. Sadly, you can’t stay there as it only operates for weddings and events, so you’ll need to take your castle fantasies elsewhere. Try the similarly turreted Dollarbeg Castle, easily accessible from Edinburgh. If you’re keen to stay around Ardross, while you can’t visit the castle, it is possible to explore Loch Glass, where The Traitors’ water-based challenges are filmed, overlooked by the majestic Ben Wyvis.
Head for the hills, Yellowstone style
Wyoming and Montana
Yellowstone, the series, has prompted a peak of interest in Yellowstone, the park: Wyoming and Montana’s 3,500 square miles of wilderness, bears, bison, and the Old Faithful geyser. Since the airing of the fifth season (Nov 2022–Feb 2023), Expedia has seen a 15% increase in global interest for the two states—and that will undoubtedly continue to spike with The Madison, the recently announced spin-off. Since season four, Yellowstone’s production has largely been in Montana—and you can’t go there without staying in a cozy wood cabin like the one below, and taking a guided tour of the park. Then there is the 2.2-million-acre Crow Indian Reservation near Billings and, most importantly, the Dutton Ranch itself—in reality: the Chief Joseph Ranch, a cattle ranch in the tiny town of Darby, population 853.
Wicklow steals the show on Wednesday
Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland
When the first season of Netflix’s new take on The Addams Family aired, focusing on the pigtailed heroine’s adventures at a supernatural high school, it provided an untold boost to lesser-visited Romania. Locals were quick to capitalize on this new-found interest with tours of the locations, including Cantacuzino Castle, home of the Nevermore Academy. Now, the series on Netflix has moved to Ireland, where season two is currently being filmed. The cast and crew have set up camp in Ardmore Studios in Bray, County Wicklow—a seaside town just south of Dublin that’s well worth a visit, as is the rest of the county. Rent the stylish lodge below and visit nearby Mount Usher Gardens, voted one of Ireland’s top gardens.
Lara Kilner
Writer
Lara Kilner is a lifestyle journalist who has contributed to The Times, The Telegraph, and more. She has traveled extensively through five continents, but her most memorable trip was the one on which she met her Malaysian husband.
Third-party research was conducted by market research firm OnePoll on behalf of Expedia Group from August 5–September 2 2024, counting 25,000 respondents across 19 countries among adults who have traveled for leisure or plan to in the next three years.
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