Croatia, Sicily, And More: Set-jetting Drives Tourism But Raises Concerns Over Overtourism And Environmental Damage

Published on September 20, 2025

Set-jetting refers to nan increasing inclination wherever travelers take destinations based connected their quality successful films aliases TV shows. As streaming platforms go much popular, viewers are progressively inspired to sojourn locations seen on-screen. This shape of recreation has knowledgeable a important emergence successful popularity, pinch movies and TV bid now acting arsenic awesome sources of inspiration for travelers.

The Power of Film and TV successful Shaping Travel Choices

According to a 2023 study by Expedia, astir 44% of group cited movies and TV shows arsenic their apical sources of recreation inspiration, surpassing moreover societal media astatine 15%. In nan UK, 46% of respondents admitted to considering a destination aft seeing it successful a movie aliases TV show. Moreover, 36% of these individuals had already made bookings to sojourn specified locations.

Tourism Boom successful Taormina, Sicily

One salient illustration of set-jetting’s power is nan hilltop municipality of Taormina successful Sicily. Known for its charm, Taormina has seen a tourism roar acknowledgment to its starring domiciled successful nan 2nd play of The White Lotus. The series, produced by HBO, showcased nan luxurious Four Seasons San Domenico Palace, which has now go a must-see destination for fans of nan show. As a result, Taormina has seen a surge successful visitors eager to acquisition nan grandeur of nan edifice and its surrounding beauty.

Historical Sites Gaining Popularity from TV Shows

Another occurrence communicative is Bridgerton, nan play play that has heightened liking successful England’s historical sites. A premier illustration is Hampton Court Palace, located successful Richmond, London. The palace, erstwhile location to King Henry VIII, boasts a operation of Tudor and Baroque architecture, on pinch sprawling gardens. Visitors to this iconic location now acquisition nan world of nan Regency era first-hand, acknowledgment to its quality successful nan show.

Set-Jetting successful Romania: Wednesday Leads to Increased Interest

In Romania, nan fame of Wednesday, nan supernatural comedy, has caused a noticeable summation successful tourism. The bid filmed cardinal scenes astatine nan Buftea studios, located conscionable extracurricular Bucharest. Fans of nan show are now flocking to nan area, eager to spot wherever their favourite scenes were shot. The emergence successful tourism to Romania is an fantabulous illustration of really moreover a small-scale accumulation tin lead to a important boost successful section tourism.

Challenges: Overtourism successful Popular Destinations

While set-jetting has its benefits, it besides poses challenges for destinations. The influx of visitors tin put sizeable strain connected section infrastructure and resources, starring to overcrowding and biology damage. Hallstatt, a UNESCO World Heritage Site successful Austria, is simply a premier example. After nan occurrence of Disney’s Frozen, which besides featured nan town, nan number of visitors skyrocketed. As a result, Hallstatt introduced strict visitant limits, including restrictions connected nan number of buses and cars allowed to participate daily.

The Strain connected Dubrovnik: Game of Thrones and Overtourism

Similarly, Dubrovnik, Croatia, has struggled pinch nan pressures of set-jetting. The city, which served arsenic a filming location for Game of Thrones, has seen a dependable summation successful tourer numbers. While nan metropolis is overmuch larger than Hallstatt, nan influx of visitors has made it 1 of nan astir overtouristed destinations successful Europe. The tourism surge has led to concerns complete nan preservation of nan city’s historical sites, which are nether threat from nan precocious measurement of ft traffic.

Maya Bay: The Environmental Impact of Set-Jetting

Set-jetting tin besides person terrible biology consequences. One illustration is Maya Bay successful Thailand, made celebrated by Leonardo DiCaprio’s movie The Beach. The pristine bay was erstwhile a tranquil paradise, but nan abrupt presence of thousands of visitors caused important harm to its coral reefs. The harm was truthful extended that nan Thai authorities closed nan bay to visitors for astir 4 years to let nan situation to recover. While nan bay reopened successful 2022, it now has a headdress connected visitant numbers, and swimming is prohibited to protect nan ecosystem.

Balancing Tourism and Conservation

As set-jetting continues to grow, destinations must find ways to equilibrium tourism and conservation. While nan economical benefits are undeniable, managing overcrowding and protecting vulnerable environments are cardinal to ensuring that these locations stay sustainable for early generations. Many celebrated filming locations are now implementing measures to limit nan number of visitors and trim their biology impact. In immoderate cases, visitors are being encouraged to sojourn lesser-known sites, spreading retired nan influx of visitors much evenly crossed regions.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Set-Jetting

The emergence of streaming platforms and nan increasing fame of immersive, location-based experiences mean that set-jetting is present to stay. However, arsenic much travelers activity retired these iconic filming locations, some tourism boards and section governments must guarantee that due measures are successful spot to protect these destinations. Set-jetting’s imaginable for economical maturation is clear, but it is basal that its biology and societal impacts are cautiously managed.