Forget everything you know about revenge travel. The trend of getting on a trip as a way to “flip it” to the pandemic is not what we’re doing anymore. In 2024, travel is much more dreamy than ever—so much so that one might say it feels like a movie.
Spoiler alert: It’s because this year, travelers intentionally want to make their trips feel like their favorite movie or TV show. Skyscanner, the travel search engine and booking tool, just released the results of its most recent study, which surveyed 2,000 Americans about what’s shaping up to be one of the year’s biggest travel trends.
The survey makes a strong case that 2024 is a big year for set-jetting—or the practice of picking a travel destination inspired by your favorite movies and TV shows. According to the survey, 29% of US travelers use film and TV as a source of travel inspiration, and a whopping 86% of Americans said that they have felt inspired to visit an abroad destination after seeing it on the screen. Even more surprising is the amount of people actually putting their inspiration into action—49% of American travelers have actually booked a trip to these destinations, according to the survey.
“Americans are feeling wanderlust more than ever,” Laura Lindsay, global travel trends and destinations expert at Skyscanner, said in a statement. “Cultural exploration and destinations that spark excitement are on our minds this year. After watching movies and binge-watching shows from the couch during the pandemic, Americans are flipping the script and turning those big-screen dreams into reality.”
Some “Oscar-worthy” destinations, though, are in higher demand than others. After analyzing the responses received through its survey, Skyscanner put together a ranked list of the top destinations US travelers have actually been inspired to visit after seeing one particular movie or TV show. Check them out below, together with their vote percentage and the show or movie that inspired them—and may they inspire your next trip as well!
1. Castleton, Derbyshire, UK—32% of votes, inspired by House of Dragons
2. Bowen Island, British Columbia—32% of votes, inspired by Virgin River
3. London—31% of votes, inspired by The Crown
4. New York—30% of votes, inspired by Only Murders in the Building
5. Fiji—29% of votes, inspired by Love Island, US
6. Chicago—29% of votes, inspired by The Bear
7. Sardinia, Italy—29% of votes, inspired by The Little Mermaid
8. Mallorca, Spain—28% of votes, inspired by Love Island UK
9. Barbados—28% of votes, inspired by Outer Banks
10. Playa del Carmen, Mexico—28% of votes, inspired by Love is Blind
11. Copenhagen, Denmark—28% of votes, inspired by The Bear
12. Rome, Italy—28% of votes, inspired by Fast X