There is a particular kind of holiday planning that starts on the sofa. You finish an episode, pause on a sweeping shot of a harbour or a hillside, and think: I could actually go there. That instinct now has a name, and a price tag to match.
Set-jetting, the habit of booking a trip around a film or television location, has moved from niche to mainstream. According to Reader’s Digest, drawing on Expedia’s 2026 trends report, it is projected to become an 8 billion dollar industry in the United States alone, with 81 per cent of Gen Z and Millennial travellers now planning trips based on what they have seen on screen. Forbes reported the same 8 billion dollar figure in July 2026. The screen, in other words, has quietly become one of the most persuasive travel agents around.
The appeal is easy to understand. A good series does the work a brochure never quite manages: it gives a place atmosphere, a story, and a reason to care before you have booked a thing. The catch is that the most-filmed destinations are often the most crowded and the most expensive, especially in peak summer. Our take is simpler. Set-jetting is worth doing when the fantasy has a real address you can actually afford, and when you time it well.
Set-jetting works best when the on-screen fantasy has an address you can actually afford.
So we took four of the film and TV locations UK travellers are booking for 2026, and paired each with a genuine place to stay, priced from live Conectd rates for a two-night September trip. September matters here: it is cooler, quieter and usually cheaper than August, which makes it the sensible window for a screen-inspired break.
Scotland is the set-jetting destination that keeps proving the point. Both Reader’s Digest and the UK travel company Not Just Travel name Outlander among the shows still sending viewers north, drawn by the glens, castles and big weather that the series frames so well. Edinburgh is the natural base: an hour or two from the Highlands, and a screen star in its own right, from the Royal Mile to the Old Town closes.
Time it for September and you sidestep the August Festival Fringe premium, when the city’s rooms are at their dearest. A two-night stay at the Point A Hotel Edinburgh Haymarket, rated a near-perfect 10 by guests, comes in from about 375 pounds for two, roughly 187 pounds a night, walking distance from the station and the west end. You can browse more options on Conectd’s Edinburgh hotels.
Few shows have shifted travel intent like Emily in Paris. Not Just Travel lists Paris high on its 2026 set-jetting rundown, and the city hardly needs the help: the cafes, the balconies, the Palais Royal courtyard all read like a location scout’s mood board. The honest note is that Paris is the priciest of our four. A central four-star such as the Hôtel Saint-Pétersbourg Opéra and Spa near the Opéra runs from around 517 pounds for two nights, about 258 pounds a night, though you will find genuinely cheaper three-star rooms if you are happy a little further from the centre.
Rome is the one to watch. With Emily in Rome arriving as the franchise’s 2026 chapter, Not Just Travel flags the Eternal City as a fresh set-jetting draw, and it lands just as the crowds thin after summer. It is also, pleasingly, better value than you might expect. A four-star like the Aparthotel Colombo Roma, scored 8.9 by guests, is available from about 235 pounds for two nights, close to 118 pounds a night. That is a capital city, in shoulder season, for less than half the nightly rate of central Paris.
If your watchlist leans epic, Morocco has been the backdrop for a remarkable amount of it. Not Just Travel points to Gladiator and Game of Thrones among the productions filmed there, and Marrakech is the gateway: the souks, the riads and the light that has drawn directors for decades. It is the standout on value, too. A five-star resort such as the Kenzi Menara Palace and Resort, rated 8.7, starts from roughly 203 pounds for two nights, about 101 pounds a night. A long-haul five-star coming in under a European three-star is exactly the kind of maths set-jetting rewards. Start with Conectd’s Marrakech hotels.
| Destination | Screen inspiration | Where to stay | From (2 nights) | Approx. per night |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh | Outlander | Point A Hotel Edinburgh Haymarket (3-star, 10) | from 375 pounds | approx. 187 pounds |
| Paris | Emily in Paris | Hotel Saint-Petersbourg Opera and Spa (4-star, 8.8) | from 517 pounds | approx. 258 pounds |
| Rome | Emily in Rome (2026) | Aparthotel Colombo Roma (4-star, 8.9) | from 235 pounds | approx. 118 pounds |
| Marrakech | Gladiator, Game of Thrones | Kenzi Menara Palace and Resort (5-star, 8.7) | from 203 pounds | approx. 101 pounds |
Methodology: prices are the lowest available lead-in rate for two adults, one room, for a two-night stay from 15 to 17 September 2026, pulled from live Conectd data on 22 July 2026 and inclusive of our standard rate. Prices move with availability and dates, so treat them as a “from” guide rather than a fixed quote.
The nice thing about set-jetting is that the hard part, deciding where to go, is already done for you. All that is left is a place to stay that matches the mood without the sting. If you are still weighing up when to travel, our guide on when to book a city break breaks down how much timing really moves the price.
When you are ready, browse hotels on Conectd: honest rates, clearly shown, with no hidden fees added at the end. Find the location that started on your screen, and stay somewhere that feels like an upgrade on the fantasy.