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What Is the ‘Set-Jetting’ Travel Trend?

By Marissa Kozma
Read time: 4 minutes
August 11, 2026
Updated: August 11, 2026

What Is the ‘Set-Jetting’ Travel Trend?

Yorkshire Dales National Park, England
Credit: © Helen Hotson/stock.adobe.com
By Marissa Kozma
Author
Marissa Kozma
Marissa is a cheap airfare aficionado who loves exploring offbeat destinations with her husband. Based in Los Angeles and Joshua Tree, Marissa has been featured in publications such as San Diego Magazine, Palm Springs Life Magazine, 303 Magazine, and Mountain Living.

Have you ever watched a movie and thought to yourself, “Where is that and can I go there?” Now, more than ever, travelers are flocking to locations featured in iconic films and television shows. New York Post writer Gretchen Kelly coined the term “set-jetting” in 2008 to describe the phenomenon, but it has since gained momentum among younger generations of travelers.

According to Expedia’s 2026 travel trend forecast, 81% of Gen Z and millennial travelers are searching for screen-inspired getaways, with some experts estimating the trend has the potential to become an $8 billion industry in the U.S. alone. From the moody moors of Wuthering Heights to the ancient stone fortresses and white-sand beaches featured in The Odyssey, here are six such set locales to spark ideas for your next dream vacation.

The White Lotus

Four Seasons Maui
Credit: Image courtesy of the Four Seasons Maui

A dark comedy created by Mike White about wealth and dysfunction among hotel guests, HBO’s hit series The White Lotus generates nearly as much buzz for its five-star set locations as it does for the plotlines. Season 1 was filmed at the luxurious Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea in Hawaii, while Season 2 led fans to book stays at San Domenico Palace, a Four Seasons Hotel located in Taormina, Sicily. Season 3, which aired in 2025, enticed viewers to travel to Thailand, where directors filmed scenes at multiple properties in Koh Samui, Phuket, and Bangkok. Fans are already buzzing about what hotels will be featured when Season 4, airing in 2027, hits the French Riviera.

Emily in Paris

Cafe de Flore, Paris, France
Credit: © UlyssePixel/stock.adobe.com

First aired in 2020, Netflix’s Emily in Paris garnered much fanfare for its vibrant portrayal of Parisian life, featuring maximalist costume designs and romantic cafe culture. Fans were swept up in Emily’s dazzling day-to-day as a social media strategist for the fictional marketing firm Savoir, and the series inspired many to live out their own French fantasies. If you want to follow in their footsteps, you can stop at memorable film locations such as Café de Flore, Jardin du Palais Royal, and Terra Nera restaurant, all in Paris. 

Related: Paris for Pros: 9 Landmarks to Visit Besides the Eiffel Tower

Yellowstone

Historic downtown of Ogden, Utah
Credit: © Heidi Besen/stock.adobe.com

Filmed primarily across Utah and Montana, Yellowstone (on the Paramount Network) follows the Dutton family’s fight to keep their massive Montana ranch safe from outside forces. Viewers enjoyed the Wild West scenery so much that a University of Montana study estimated the series generated 2.1 million visitors and $750 million in tourist spending in 2023 alone. Popular set locations include downtown Ogden, Utah; the Four Sixes Ranch in Guthrie, Texas; the Chief Joseph Ranch in Darby, Montana; the Crow Indian Reservation in Billings, Montana; and the charming downtowns of Helena and Missoula in Montana.

Wuthering Heights

Yorkshire Dales National Park, England
Credit: © Helen Hotson/stock.adobe.com

A new cinematic adaptation of the romantic period drama Wuthering Heights was released in early 2026, and watching the love story unfold between Cathy and Heathcliff has inspired many filmgoers to venture north of London to the wild Yorkshire mores. The rocky outcrops of the Penistone Crags and the manor known as Thrushcross Grange may be fictional locations in Emily Brontë’s classic novel, but travelers can visit real-life shooting locations such as Yorkshire Dales National Park and its old smelt mills, Bridestones Moor, and the Knole estate.

The Odyssey

Old Essaouira, Morocco
Credit: © upslim/stock.adobe.com

The 2026 adaptation of Homer’s epic, directed by Christopher Nolan and shot entirely on IMAX film, introduced viewers to the striking beauty of Greece’s Peloponnese region and the horseshoe-shaped Voidokilia Beach and Methoni Castle. Also featured are the stunning island of Favignana off the coast of Sicily and the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Medina of Essaouira in Morocco. Following the film’s release on July 17, flight searches to Athens in particular skyrocketed — surging by 153%, according to data from Cheapoair.

The Summer I Turned Pretty

Intracoastal Waterway, Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina
Credit: © makasana photo/stock.adobe.com

Although Amazon Prime’s hit TV series takes place in a fictional beach town called Cousins Beach (inspired by iconic summer destinations such as Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard), The Summer I Turned Pretty was shot primarily across North Carolina. Filming locations include the quaint seaside village of Southport in the Brunswick Islands, the city of Wilmington, and the beachside community of Wrightsville Beach. Fans have flocked to the real-life set of the Whale of a Tale Bookshop (which is actually Papercut Books in downtown Wilmington), the Oceanic Restaurant in Wrightsville Beach, and Capt’n Bill’s Backyard Grill in Wilmington.