Setjetting: What It Is and Why Film Fans Travel to Filming Locations

As someone who first heard the term “setjetting” from a friend who returned from New Zealand completely giddy after walking through Hobbiton, I learned everything there is to know about this corner of travel culture. Today, I will share it all with you.

Combining “set” and “jet,” setjetting describes traveling specifically to visit filming locations from favorite movies and TV shows. What started as niche fan behavior has grown into a recognized tourism category, and I’ve found myself doing it more than I’d care to admit publicly.

Origins and Evolution of Setjetting

Setjetting isn’t entirely new — fans have long sought out places featured in beloved films. Probably should have led with this, honestly, but what’s changed is the scale and ease with which it can now be done. In the past, finding these locations required considerable effort and often insider knowledge. GPS, social media groups, and dedicated websites have made finding specific filming spots almost trivially straightforward compared to what it used to require.

Why Setjetting Attracts Visitors

That’s what makes setjetting endearing to film fans: stepping into a location from a favorite film or show creates a physical connection between fiction and reality that rewatching a movie on a screen simply cannot replicate. It’s similar to visiting historical sites but layered with contemporary cultural meaning. Setjetters often come away with genuine appreciation for the filmmaking craft — understanding how ordinary places were transformed into extraordinary fictional worlds.

Key Locations Around the World

Certain places have become iconic setjetting destinations with real, measurable economic effects on local tourism.

New Zealand – Middle Earth

The Lord of the Rings trilogy, followed by The Hobbit films, put New Zealand on the setjetting map permanently. Hobbiton operates as a full tourist attraction now with organized tours covering the sets in detail. You can walk the same ground as Frodo and Bilbo, and the combination of the actual filmed landscape with careful preservation makes it worth the trip even if you approach it as a slightly cynical person who thinks organized tours are overrated. I do, and I’d still go back.

United Kingdom – The Wizarding World

Harry Potter fans can explore real locations used in the films across London and Oxford. King’s Cross Station has the Platform 9¾ installation. Christ Church College in Oxford served as the model for Hogwarts’ Great Hall. London’s Leadenhall Market doubled as Diagon Alley in the first film. Studios and dedicated tours now serve this market extensively, and the demand is real.

Croatia – The Realm of Westeros

Dubrovnik became synonymous with Game of Thrones as it doubled for King’s Landing. Fans visit the Pile Gate, Fort Lovrijenac, and the Jesuit Staircase. Local guided tours explain how these medieval structures were used in the show, offering a genuinely interesting combination of history and modern production context.

Impacts on Local Economies

Setjetting has real economic consequences. Locations featured in popular productions often see significant tourism increases that benefit restaurants, hotels, souvenir vendors, and local guides. This can be sustained long after a production ends — New Zealand’s Hobbiton tourism has outlasted the film releases by over a decade. Governments in some regions now actively promote filming locations, recognizing the economic value of becoming associated with a popular franchise.

Setjetting Resources and Tools

Resources for finding filming locations have multiplied significantly:

• Websites: Atlas of Wonders, Movie-Locations.com, IMDB Filming Locations
• Apps: ScenePast, FilmQuest
• Social Media: Facebook groups, Reddit threads, dedicated Instagram accounts with location tagging

Many cities also offer organized tours built around popular filming spots, led by guides who provide production context and behind-the-scenes information that casual visitors wouldn’t easily find on their own.

Challenges and Considerations

Setjetting creates real challenges worth acknowledging. Popular sites can suffer from overcrowding that damages the locations over time. Visitors should treat these places with respect — some of them are genuine historic sites that were simply used as filming locations. Private property constraints exist at some spots, so checking access regulations before traveling matters. Environmental impacts from concentrated foot traffic require thoughtful management from both visitors and local authorities.

Future of Setjetting

The future of setjetting looks strong. As streaming services and global production studios expand into more locations, new destinations continue emerging. Digital and virtual reality tools are starting to add layers to physical visits — augmented reality overlays showing how a location looked during production, VR tours of sets that no longer exist. These additions will likely enhance rather than replace the appeal of actually standing somewhere a scene was filmed. Collaboration between film studios, tourism boards, and local communities will determine whether growth happens sustainably.