From ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ inspiring people to travel to Goa with friends to ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (YJHD)’ increasing the allure of Udaipur, and from ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (ZNMD)’ showcasing Spain’s unique culture to ‘Dil Dhadakne Do’ influencing cruise tourism, movies and shows play an important role in shaping travellers’ choices not only in India but globally. With the rise of OTT platforms, shows like Emily in Paris and The White Lotus are also joining the bandwagon. This screen-inspired travel is called set-jetting, and this travel trend is here to stay.

For 29-year-old Yathartha Sharma, ‘Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge’ was the first film that inspired him to travel. He recalls, “The concept of a group of boys travelling around Europe and driving convertibles; it was both impossible and magical.” 

“The second was ZNMD. While sitting in a tier-2 city with pocket money barely enough to live the Dil Chahta Hai fantasy, ZNMD was straight out of the syllabus; forget the syllabus, it was a different course altogether. But that’s the beauty about dreams, they do come true,” the Delhi resident excitedly states. 

He shares his experience of fulfilling this dream: "I went to Spain this year to fulfill my ZNMD dream. I’m scared of heights, so I jumped from 13,000 feet to keep up the tradition. ‘Yeh Junoon Yeh Deewangi’ was the background track all the way. Spain was a lot of fun, in fact, more than what the movie had captured. It is like a storybook filled with lots of interesting chapters, the film barely read a few.” 

Many other travellers like Sharma are creating travel itineraries inspired by movies or shows, stepping into the shoes of their favourite characters. According to Skyscanner’s ‘Travel Trends 2024' report, 94 per cent of Indian travellers are inspired to take a trip to a destination they’ve seen on the big or small screen. Out of those, 62 per cent go on to book these trips. 

Expedia’s ‘Unpack 2024’ forecast reflects a similar trend. According to the report, more than half of travellers now say that TV shows and movies inspire their travel plans. Nearly 30 per cent of travellers say that TV shows and movies are more influential than they were before.