Cathy Whitlock’s book, released Oct. 6, turns film and television settings into travel destinations. Expedia reports that more travelers want trips inspired by what they watch. “On Location: Cinematic Journeys to the World's Most Iconic Film Locales” pairs production histories with advice on visiting filming locations around the world.
Expedia’s Unpack '26 report, released in October 2025, found that 53% of travelers said their desire to take this kind of trip had increased in the previous year. Among Millennial and Gen Z travelers, 81% said they planned trips inspired by what they had watched. The figures point to a growing market built around familiar screen stories, but the report doesn't give spending totals.
From screen to destination
Expedia identified the set-jetting trend in 2022. Melanie Fish, Vice President of Global Public Relations at Expedia Group, said it “has evolved from a niche curiosity into a mainstream way people discover destinations.” In an email, Fish said travelers spend more time with stories and characters through on-demand streaming, then bring that connection into the real world through social conversation, fan communities and trip planning.
“They aren't just visiting a place; they're stepping into a story that already means something to them,” Fish said. She described set-jetting as giving travelers “a ready-made emotional reason to travel.” Expedia links viewing habits with destination discovery, though the report's figures don't identify what travelers spend or how much destinations earn from these trips.
Fans of “Game of Thrones” and “The White Lotus” have flocked to destinations including Dubrovnik, Croatia, and Thailand. Whitlock’s book also takes readers to London locations tied to “Notting Hill,” including Westbourne Grove, Portobello Road Market and the bookstore that inspired the one in the 1999 movie.
Places behind the productions
Whitlock recounts the making of “Roman Holiday,” the 1953 film starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. Her account describes crowds of onlookers and narrow alleys, along with the crew’s decision to keep a prank in which Peck pretends to lose his hand to a decorative facial mask at the Mouth of Truth.
The book explains how Sofia Coppola and her production and costume designers shaped the look of “Marie Antoinette,” the 2006 film starring Kirsten Dunst. It also provides information for visiting Versailles and staying at the Airelles Château de Versailles, Le Grand Contrôle hotel. Other films and television shows covered include “Under the Tuscan Sun,” “Crazy Rich Asians,” “Bridgerton,” “Frida” and “When Harry Met Sally...” The book has more than 200 photographs across 256 pages.
Whitlock, a journalist and former movie publicist, told USA TODAY that her interest in cinema and travel grew from watching movies at a local theater in her hometown of Nashville. “Locations are all about the character of a place, and I think when we go to movies, we get kind of emotionally attached to the settings – at least I do, anyway,” she said.
Travel advice and the commission
Fish advises travelers to check whether a scene was filmed at a destination or merely set there, then decide which parts of a film or show they want to recreate. She also recommends looking past the famous backdrop, making time to experience the wider destination and support local businesses, and checking operating hours and reservation requirements.
Travelers should consider booking well ahead when a project’s release or disclosure of a filming location draws attention, Fish said. Whitlock writes that the book is “not only a history of film locations but a love letter to the way cinema and television make us feel – and to the real places that keep those feelings alive.” She said she hopes it will help people appreciate travel and “kind of enlarging their space.”
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