It seems that every day, hordes of travelers “discover” a breathtaking location they saw on a show, movie, or TikTok reel. Never mind that their parents likely stayed there on a two-week bus tour after reading about it in a Frommer’s guide. Today, a bit of “set-jetting” makes everyone feel like an intrepid explorer, jetting off to that unique destination featured in the latest Netflix hit. But for vacation rental managers on Airbnb, this is more than just amusing. Set-jetting is having real effects on tourism demand—and it’s worth paying attention to both the upside and the quirky, potentially overwhelming impacts it may bring.
The Streaming Effect: Netflix and Friends Help Tourists “Rediscover” the World
Streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+ have become today’s travel bibles. Instead of carefully plotted maps and guidebooks, travelers are now guided by TV settings, viral TikToks, and carefully curated shots of fictional universes. Each new show seemingly unlocks “hidden gems,” sparking a flurry of bookings for properties near these locales.
Take Emily in Paris, for instance. The series has triggered an influx of young travelers flocking to Paris’s Latin Quarter, Place de l’Estrapade, and the Palais Royal. Generations of travelers before them did much the same, but today’s set-jetters have TikTok in one hand and Netflix’s carefully edited shots in the other. Or look at The White Lotus, where season one in Hawaii sent vacationers scrambling to the Four Seasons in Maui, while season two put Sicily on everyone’s bucket list once again.
Then there’s Game of Thrones, which took already popular destinations like Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Iceland’s Black Sand Beaches and made them even busier. Dubrovnik was famous long before becoming King’s Landing, but fans of the show drove visitor numbers up to new heights, leading the city to eventually restrict tourist access in its old town. In Iceland, the Black Sand Beaches near Vik were popular with nature lovers but became an absolute must-see for Game of Thrones fans, creating a surge that added to the area’s environmental challenges.
Streaming platforms also offer documentary-style inspirations. Our Planet, narrated by David Attenborough, has piqued eco-tourism interest worldwide by showcasing unique locales like the Alaskan tundras and African savannas, while The Crown has drawn tourists to royal filming spots such as Balmoral Castle and Wilton House in the UK, making each visit feel like stepping into a piece of history.
Airbnb’s Themed Stays: Rediscovering Nostalgia with a Dose of Movie Magic
Airbnb knows how to capitalize on a good trend. Offering stays in properties that bring these beloved shows to life, they’ve created themed listings that are as Instagrammable as they are nostalgic. For instance, Airbnb offers tours at the recreated “Beetlejuice” mansion in New Jersey, letting fans live out their 1988 Tim Burton dreams. Then there’s the recreation of the “Up” house in New Mexico, ready to float guests into a Pixar-inspired getaway. And, of course, the Twilight house in Oregon, which Airbnb has transformed into a shrine for fans of brooding vampires.
It’s a clever twist, really—taking places we thought we knew and giving them a movie-star makeover. But for vacation rental managers on the platform, it’s more than a gimmick. These properties go viral in an instant, making Airbnb the ultimate destination for fans looking to book “a stay like no other.” The good news is that this type of themed rental can command high prices. The less-good news? Demand can be fickle, and yesterday’s craze may be tomorrow’s forgotten fad.
Not all Airbnb listings are recreated; some take advantage of real-life filming locations. The “Hawkins” locations from Stranger Things in Georgia offer genuine filming-site stays, while New Zealand’s Hobbiton, though not on Airbnb, has set a precedent for themed stays, drawing fans of The Lord of the Rings to experience life in the Shire firsthand. And don’t forget the iconic “Cullen House” from Twilight, which has seen renewed interest thanks to Airbnb’s themed stays.
Social Media’s Amplifying Role: Turning Quiet Spots into Instant Sensations
Thanks to social media, these iconic locations go from calm to crowded practically overnight. TikTok and Instagram feeds are filled with influencers rediscovering spots that were quite famous even before they were viral. Case in point:
- TikTok’s Impact on Paros, Greece: Thanks to the Netflix series One Day, Paros saw Airbnb bookings jump by over 30%. Visitors crowd into the island’s picturesque corners, camera in hand, ready to capture what they believe is an untouched paradise.
- Instagram’s Obsession with Iceland’s Black Sand Beaches: Places like Reynisfjara beach—once known mostly to locals—now see a steady stream of tourists, all hoping to replicate the dramatic shots from Game of Thrones.
- TikTok at Llyn Gwynant, Wales: Influencers eager to capture the stunning backdrop from Game of Thrones quickly turned this lake into a mini-tourist spot, complete with queues and overcrowded parking lots.
While it may feel as though these travelers are “exploring,” it’s not exactly uncharted territory. They’re trading traditional guidebooks for an algorithm-driven discovery process, causing lesser-known locales to become inundated with tourists in record time.
Trading Guidebooks for TikTok: The New Age of Digital Discovery
Forget musty guidebooks or carefully planned itineraries; today’s travelers don’t want to sift through pages to plan their next vacation. Instead, they’re drawn to the convenience of short-form video recommendations, where someone else has already discovered the destination (for them). This shift means travelers are less likely to uncover hidden gems and more likely to show up in already-saturated hotspots, potentially creating crowding issues for locals and businesses alike.
For vacation rental managers, this trend means demand spikes can be sudden, strong, and short-lived. As quickly as set-jetters flock to one location, they can move on to the next viral sensation, leaving properties to weather the ebb and flow of social media trends.
What Set-Jetting Means for Vacation Rental Managers
Set-jetting is a double-edged sword for vacation rental managers. With the right location and a bit of luck, being near a hot set-jetting destination can drive up bookings and nightly rates. But these surges in demand come with their own set of challenges:
- Temporary Demand Surges: A popular show might bring droves of visitors to a destination seemingly overnight, creating a temporary boom for local rentals. But these surges are fleeting and often fade once the next season or trend hits, making it difficult for managers to plan for consistent occupancy.
- Overcrowding and Environmental Impact: Locations highlighted by Netflix, TikTok, and Airbnb themes can experience sudden crowding, which might be good for immediate business but creates long-term issues with local infrastructure and environmental wear. For example, Dubrovnik was already bustling before Game of Thrones, but the series skyrocketed visitor numbers, leading the city to cap tourist entries to preserve the UNESCO heritage site. Iceland’s Black Sand Beaches, popular among nature lovers long before Game of Thrones, now face environmental strain due to the extra foot traffic.
- Shifting Regulations: Overcrowding often leads to stricter short-term rental regulations. Local governments in places like Amsterdam, Venice, and Barcelona have responded to increased tourism by capping visitor numbers, restricting Airbnb rentals, and even instituting tourist taxes. For vacation rental managers, these changes could mean altered terms or reduced availability.
- Sustainability and Local Community Impact: The influx of set-jetting tourists can strain relationships with local communities, especially when travelers congregate in a few hotspots. Vacation rental managers who depend on positive relations with neighbors should be aware of potential friction. Highlighting lesser-known attractions or promoting local businesses can sometimes help mitigate the tension.
Conclusion: Set-Jetting—A Trend with Staying Power but Worth Watching
Set-jetting isn’t going away anytime soon, and as Netflix and Airbnb continue to fuel this trend, rental managers should be mindful of its impacts. While it’s easy to laugh at tourists rediscovering “hidden gems” their parents visited decades ago, the reality is that set-jetting influences travel patterns in meaningful ways. For managers, this trend presents both unique marketing opportunities and logistical challenges.
Staying informed about how set-jetting influences travel behaviors can help managers make savvy decisions about pricing, property maintenance, and local partnerships, all while balancing the needs of the modern traveler with those of the local community.
