Set-jetting, travel envy, celebrity worship — whatever the definition or the motivation for trekking to locales that you have only eyed in movies, streaming series or music videos, it’s increasingly popular.
Instead of scouting “the world’s best beaches” online, quizzing friends about favorite vacations or turning to a travel agent for recommendations, thousands are flocking to the locations where their favorite shows or films were shot.
It all adds up considering that people spend six hours and 40 minutes on screens each day globally — and in the U.S., the average screen time intake is upward of seven hours.
Travelers are increasingly choosing destinations based on streaming shows and movies versus Instagram and TikTok, according to Christie Hudson, a travel specialist at Expedia.
Residents of Cornwall have been aware of the trend for a while, thanks to fans of “House of the Dragon,” “Poldark” and PBS’ “Doc Martin.” Enterprising businesses are offering themed tours and certain accommodations are touting their proximity to film locations to woo guests. Some of the telltale signs of the trend are all of the sub-age 30 and sub-age 40 out-of-towners milling around St. Michael’s Mount, according to Visit Cornwall’s executive chair Malcolm Bell. In past years, most travelers were more in the 50 and up age range. Holywell Bay and Kynance Cove are two other favorite stops with “House of the Dragon” fans.
Cornwall can sustain the current levels of interest, and the wave is welcome since area businesses are benefiting too. The free publicity generated by popular shows not only spares tourist boards from bankrolling advertising and marketing campaigns, but also offers “less edited views” of these respective locations, Bell says. “The tourist boards will always show off the bits and pieces that they want to show off, whereas TV and film is pleasing because it’s less edited,” he contends.