Set-Jetting and Hospitality: How Hotels Are Adapting to Screen-Inspired Travel

Can a TV show influence where people spend their next vacation? Increasingly, the answer appears to be yes.

From luxury resorts to historic cities, destinations featured on screen are inspiring viewers to visit them in real life. This growing phenomenon, known as "set-jetting", has turned entertainment into a powerful driver of travel decisions. To capitalize on this trend, hotels are transforming screen-inspired interest into guest experiences, generally utilizing three main strategies as below.

1. Benefiting from Filming-Location Status

For hotels that appear on screen, the most immediate opportunity is to benefit from the visibility generated by a successful production.

A prominent example is the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, which served as the primary filming location for Season 3 of The White Lotus. Following the show's release, the property became widely recognized by media outlets and travelers as "the real White Lotus hotel," attracting guests eager to experience the setting they had seen on screen.

Interestingly, the resort did not need to create elaborate themed experiences to capitalize on the trend. Instead, the property's authentic connection to the series became a story in itself. Travel publications, influencers, and guests generated significant attention by sharing their experiences at the filming location, effectively turning the resort into a set-jetting destination.

Key takeaway: Sometimes the most effective response is not to recreate the show, but to help guests experience the authentic place that appeared on screen.

2. Creating Screen-Inspired Experiences and Itineraries

Not every hotel needs to be a filming location to benefit from set-jetting. Some properties create experiences that help guests explore destinations associated with popular productions.

Hotels in Northern Ireland and Croatia provide notable examples. Following the global success of Game of Thrones, hotels in Belfast, including luxury properties such as The Merchant Hotel, have benefited from and supported Game of Thrones-related tourism through concierge recommendations, tour partnerships, and curated itineraries

In these cases, the hotel itself served as a gateway to the broader destination experience that fans were seeking. By helping guests access filming locations, arrange transportation, and discover lesser-known sites connected to the show, hotels transformed accommodation into a more comprehensive travel product.

Key takeaway: Hotels can create value by connecting guests with nearby filming locations and helping them experience the stories that inspired their trip.

3. Extending a Property's Cinematic Story

Some hotels continue to benefit from their on-screen legacy long after filming has ended.

One of the most iconic examples is the Park Hyatt Tokyo, featured prominently in the 2003 film Lost in Translation. More than two decades after the movie's release, the hotel remains a destination for travelers who wish to experience the atmosphere portrayed in the film.

Guests frequently seek out the New York Bar, recreate scenes from the movie, and choose the hotel specifically because of its cinematic association. Rather than treating the film as a historical footnote, the property's enduring connection to the movie has become part of its identity and appeal.

This illustrates how hotels can preserve and communicate their cultural relevance over time, turning a past screen appearance into a long-term source of guest interest.

Key takeaway: A property's cinematic legacy can continue to attract travelers years after a film or television production has left.

Looking Ahead

Set-jetting is reshaping the relationship between entertainment and travel. What begins as a memorable scene on screen can quickly become a real-world travel aspiration. In response, hotels are moving beyond passive participation and finding new ways to connect guests with the destinations, stories, and experiences that captured their imagination.