Set-Jetting: Film-Inspired Travel Trends for 2025

There’s an ineffable magic to stepping into a place where the stories you once only knew through a screen suddenly become tactile and alive beneath your fingers. This year, set-jetting—the art of traveling to iconic film and television locations—surges beyond mere curiosity. It blossoms into an immersive journey, where the lines between fiction and reality blur beautifully, inviting travelers to relive moments of wonder and emotion from their favorite stories.

For me, every trip begins as a narrative, with whispered promises of adventure, discovery, and a deep connection to culture. Set-jetting in 2025 carries that promise further — it’s not just about replicas of famous scenes but about diving into the heartbeats of places that inspired filmmakers, allowing us to experience their captivating essence in new, vibrant ways.

The Emotional Pull of Cinematic Landscapes

Remember the sweeping landscapes in films like Call Me By Your Name or the timeless streets from Amélie? These locations have grown into pilgrimage sites for cinephiles and travelers alike. The desire is not just to see but to feel — the rustle of olive trees, the hum of distant markets, the golden-hour light that strokes cobblestone streets just as it did on screen.

What’s truly captivating is the emotional resonance that location-based travel evokes. Watching a hero’s journey unfold against majestic backdrops, then standing on those very grounds, enriches the memory and broadens perspective. Set-jetting is like reading your favorite book once more, but this time, you’re inside the story.

2025 Trends: Beyond the Surface

While visiting movie sets has been a cherished pastime for years, 2025 elevates this trend by weaving local culture, storytelling, and experience-driven itineraries together. Here’s how this transformation unfolds:

• Interactive Tours and Reenactments: Imagine wandering through a bustling street from a crime noir film, with actors recreating scenes around you, or joining a boat ride through Venice channels inspired by classic romantic dramas.
• Behind-the-Scenes Access: Studios and locations are opening up more, inviting travelers to understand the craftsmanship, from set design to costume making, making the journey a deep dive into cinematic artistry.
• Hybrid Reality Experiences: With the rise of augmented reality (AR), travelers can use their devices to watch reconstructed scenes overlaying the real-world locations, blending past and present in visually thrilling ways.

The New Icons of Set-Jetting

Beyond the perennial favorites like New Zealand’s Lord of the Rings landscapes, or the energetic streets of New York City as portrayed in countless classics, fresh cinematic landmarks are calling. 2025 travelers are drawn to:

• Tangier, Morocco: Since films like Black Hawk Down and more recently, various high-profile productions have utilized its labyrinthine medinas and vibrant markets, Tangier offers an intoxicating blend of history and cinematic allure.
• South Korea’s Busan: With the global surge in Korean cinema and dramas, spots from blockbuster hits have become fan sanctuaries, brimming with pop culture energy and street food soul.
• Iceland’s Otherworldly Terrain: Beyond Game of Thrones, many mythic and sci-fi productions are choosing Iceland’s ethereal landscapes for their unparalleled otherworldliness.

Preserving Authenticity in a Commercial World

One of the most poignant moments during my set-jetting adventures is grasping the delicate balance between authenticity and commerce. While tourism breathes new life and vitality into these places, there’s always a whisper of concern—will the essence that made these places magical start to fade under the weight of souvenir shops and selfie sticks?

What stands out in 2025 is a global movement towards responsible set-jetting that honors local communities and the stories behind every stone and frame. Many destinations now offer tours led by locals and filmmakers, blending respect and stewardship with immersive experience. It feels less like a fleeting visit and more like joining a living narrative, where respect shapes memory.

A Personal Reflection

I still remember the chill of dawn as I wandered a quiet Italian piazza made famous by a treasured romantic film. The early morning sun kissed the ancient walls, and for a moment, everything felt suspended between the reel and real. The rustling leaves, the distant chatter—the world held its breath with me.

“Set-jetting transcends sightseeing—it’s a symphony of senses, memories, and storytelling that brings us closer to the pulse of living places we’ve only dreamed of.”

In 2025, let your next journey be an invitation to explore not just new places, but new layers of yourself through the lens of film and story.

Marco Santiago